Dreaming of Vana'diel: Reforging Destiny
by BearstarSeraph
Summary: With Lilisette as their inspiration, two orphans, the world renowned Galkan master of everything called simply "the Sage" and his best friend the Mithra White Mage Bearstar, go back in time and save their parents' lives. But chaos ensues and lives are destroyed and lost as history tries to correct this mistake at every turn.
1. Preface

Dreaming of Vana'diel: Reforging Destiny

Forward:

It all started June 30, 2009 when I woke up at 3 A.M. from a wonderful dream staring my brother's character "Gamesage". I was inspired to write it down so I turned on the computer on, typed it, then went back to bed a little before 5. Then on August 8th, I had a sequel to the dream this time with my character "Bearstar" in it. Thus began Dreaming of Vana'diel: Reforging Destiny. After 2 years, 20 chapters, and the blessing of two good friends to add their characters as well, "Blueice" and "Bluegollum", the story is finally done.

Originally titled "What's in a Name" back when it was a short story before the second dream, I kept the theme of meaningful names that match the personalities and roles of the characters as it expanded. Here's a list of the more unusual names that the reader may have difficulty locating:

Zelig: (German) The Blessed One

Drogo: (German) Burden, same root as the word drudgery

Zbigniew: (Polish) To rid of anger

Artmael: (French: primitive version of Armael) Stone Prince

Gwenael: (French) Blessed and Generosity

Ermenegilde: (French) Complete Sacrifice

Major Viki Sayma

inspired and named for my mother

Arenk Sayma

from my aunt and mom's sister Karen (character not based on her personality)

Mizar

Star in Ursa Major "the great bear"

Lord Narcisse D Evanglemagne

(French) His first name means Pride, same root as the word narcissism. His middle initial D is from the d' used to replace "the" in shorthand and popular culture. Evanglemagne means the Great Evangelizer and is derived from the French King Charlemagne, "Charles the Great" in English.

I did my best to keep original characters with original names, using FFXIclopedia as a resource to search names to try to avoid overlap. Feel free to search the site to learn more of the world of Vana'diel.

Disclaimer: All rights to Square Enix.

Born on Seraph Server, now on Bismarck.

Preface:

"Logic has no meaning when it comes to heaven, for love has no rhyme or reason; it has a will of its own completely incomprehensible to the minds of mortals, even among the so called Enlightened who claim superiority over the so called Beastmen races."

Major Viki Sayma, Commander of the Copperhead Mercenaries

With Lilisette as their inspiration, two orphans, the world renowned Galkan master of everything called simply "the Sage" and his best friend the Mithra White Mage Bearstar, go back in time and save their parents' lives. But chaos ensues and lives are destroyed and lost as history tries to correct the mistake at every turn. As they watch the lives of their friends and family collapse around them, the childhood Sage and Bearstar meet years prematurely and together with the help of the other children in their play group reforge not only their destinies but the destiny of the world in more ways than their original selves could have ever hoped for.

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1: To Topple a King

Chapter 2: A Star was Born Tonight

Chapter 3: Miasma and Ambrosia

Chapter 4: The Dark Shadow of the Goddess

Chapter 5: Drogo the Demon

Chapter 6: The Bear Slayer

Chapter 7: Will-o'-Whispers and Silent Prayers

Chapter 8: Heirs to a Mother's Love

Chapter 9: Diamonds and Dahlias

Chapter 10: The Petition

Chapter 11:The Surge of the Saint Andraya's Gale

Chapter 12: The Crimson Shadow of the Once and Future Fomor King

Chapter 13: Mene, Mene, Tekel u-Pharsin

Chapter 14: Atropos' Shattered Shears

Chapter 15: The Grand Heresy of Hope

Chapter 16: Born in the Same Manner

Chapter 17: Tin Soldiers and Toy Drums

Chapter 18: An Eternal Repose

Chapter 19: Exodus

Chapter 20: Counting Time


	2. Chapter 1: To Topple a King

**Chapter 1: To Topple a King**

Two soldiers make their way from the capital city of Bastok to the fort in North Gustaberg. One in Republican Mail with sword and shield and the other dressed in some type of blue mage's clothes with a single short horn protruding from a metal headband. He has a jeweled casting staff.

"This endless war has been hard on Bastok, but not in the same way as the other great nations," Zelig explains to his new friend. Even considering they are both Galkas, he and Gamesage have become friends unusually fast. "San d'Oria has taken massive casualties and the Windurst capital city has been physically devastated as you know…"

Gamesage nods remembering the shock of seeing his home destroyed after being eaten by a Cavernous Maw.

"…But here in Bastok things can be said to be much worse. In those counties the population is united under the flag but here we are more divided than ever. I don't know what life is like for you in Windurst, but you have been acting dangerously naive. We are on the brink of civil war. You must be careful around the Humes."

"To be careful about the Humes or to be careful of our fellow Galkas?"

Zelig, unable to think of a response, looks at the ground, "…Both… Both unfortunately," he says finally. "I'm old enough to just remember the last race riot in Bastok. Things have always been rough for us here but it's all we've had 'til now."

"Until now?" Gamesage asks.

Zelig opens his arms wide in front of him. He stares hungrily down at his palms, fingers curled back clawing at the air. "Our current President won because of us. He promised us justice and equality finally after all these horrid centuries of virtual slavery. But because of the war all the money and recourses meant for raising us from servitude are going to the war. It can't be helped. We both know the front lines…"

Gamesage nods.

"…but people are starving worse than ever with the rationing and the military has forced thousands from their homes into the streets."

Gamesage looks at the ground somberly, "If war comes… what side will you fight on?"

Zelig lowers his arms and looks at the ground again as they walk. His long silence says more than any words. If he was determined to fight along side his own kind, he would have said so already. His heavy guilt warps his body, from his face to his steps.

"No offence…" he finally begins, "I really like you. Don't take this the wrong way, but how can I trust someone with something like that who won't tell me his real name?"

"Not this again," Gamesage rolls his eyes.

"Look we take our nicknames because the other races either cannot pronounce or refuse to learn our real names."

"Is it really that important? What's in a name but a bunch of syllables?"

Zelig's face turns to angry disbelief, "How can you say that!" He clenches his fists and flails his arms in rage, at least what he believes is rage at the time. "Our language is all we have left of our civilization, and it is dying more and more with each generation. Soon even our names will disappear with that attitude."

"I'm sorry," Gamesage says sincerely as they begin to climb down the ramp. "But please understand that I like my nickname. It's not trivial to me. It's who I am this time around. My last life I had a different nickname that suited me then and my next life I will have a nickname that will suit the person I will become when I am reborn in another hundred and sixty years or so."

Zelig's face turns to shock. His rage dissipates completely, "A hundred and sixty years? What? Really?"

Gamesage roars, face towards the sky. Even for a Galka, his voice is deep like an unending pit.

Zelig gets a depressed smile.

"I'm only forty-four! What age did you think I was?" He looks at Zelig. His broad smile vanishes. "Are you all right?"

Zelig looks at the ground, "You might as well know…" he looks back up, "that you remind me of someone I lost to the Journey almost twenty-three years ago now. When I first saw you I almost died of fright." He chuckles to hide the pain he is in — it doesn't work. "The way you look, sound, move, even fight… it screams that you're him, but I know for a fact that he is that little boy. I've watched him grow up from a distance since his rebirth."

Gamesage smiles meekly, "It is still too painful to look at him isn't it?" Before Zelig can respond, he continues, "He's growing into a young man by now, talking to him may help give you closure… Or are you scared of falling in love again? Love is a scary thing but it shouldn't keep you from the ones you care about."

Zelig stops in his tracks, goes bug-eyed and slack-jawed.

Gamesage laughs again, this time beating his knees, "You look like you've just seen a ghost!"

At the fort, a unit of Hume soldiers is on duty. "Hey Sergeant!" shouts the lookout from on top the fort. All the soldiers below look up at him.

"What is it soldier?" he shouts up.

The lookout points towards the ramp, "Here comes Private Zelig and that 'Adventurer' person Gamesage!"

"Are you sure Private?" his commanding officer shouts.

"Yeah! It's them! There's no mistaking it!"

Individually they are both rare breeds, but together they have become an unmistakable pair. Both are large even by Galkan standards, but it's their hair that marks them apart. Zelig has a normal hair cut: slicked back hair exposing his forehead, bushy eyebrows so thick they fuse with his sideburns, and a neatly-trimmed robust beard. But his hair is a brilliant red, a red rivaling any Elvaan's locks, with darker auburn marks shadowing his eyes and cheeks. Gamesage has the more normal darker hair color, but his raven hair is spiked into three points tapering from black to salt and pepper to white at the tips like paintbrushes. His beard is thinner, but longer and more ragged than Zelig's, and his eye marks don't spread to his cheeks. Their deep ebony encircles his sockets making his piercing eyes look like they are emerging from darkened caves.

They deliver the orders to the soldiers at the fort and begin to walk back.

"The government really needs to invest in linkshells, they would make things more efficient and make these trips obsolete," Gamesage complains as they round the top of the tall ramp up the cliff face.

"You act like linkshells are common and dirt cheap," Zelig kicks the desert sand to make his point even more clear. "They are as expensive as drinking water if not worse."

"Maybe I should try to get some," Gamesage says to himself.

"Look, even if the scientists and mages find a cheaper way to make them, they would never leak them to civilians. You'll never see one as long as you live."

Gamesage lifts both his arms above his head and lowers his hands behind his head. "Hmm…I'll have to have the nerdian look up the history of linkshell use during the Crystal War to see if I can get away with bringing some back here without messing with history," he muses.

Zelig stops in his tracks. "What do you mean by that?"

Gamesage gets a confused look on his face, Wha…?" he begins to say. Suddenly horror consumes his eyes and he clamps his hands over mouth realizing he spoke out loud.

"Gamesage what is up with you?" Zelig asks concerned, "You're weirdness was funny at first but I'm starting to worry about you."

Gamesage walks over to one of the ramparts guarding the road and leans against it locking his elbows. He looks at the ground a long time.

"Gamesage? Gamesage are you alright?"

"…Zelig…" he finally starts, "… I… I think I need to be honest with you…"

"Honest? What do you mean?" Zelig's concern is tempered by muted anger, though his imagination could never conceive of the contents of the coming conversation.

"Zelig…" he says turning around. He looks him straight in the eyes. "I'm a time traveler. I'm from about twenty years in the future."

"That's not funny," Zelig says flatly.

"I'm serious," Gamesage says pleading with his arms. "I am from the future."

"If the Tales Keeper hadn't been lost in Xarcabard you children would never think you could to get away with things like this!" he says pointing bitterly.

"Raogrimm is alive."

"What?" says Zelig so shocked he is barely audible.

"If you can call it a life," Gamesage adds looking at the ground.

"What do you know? Speak!" Zelig demands.

"I saw him die, he saved my life."

"You are making no sense first he's alive now he's dead!"

"I told you," Gamesage says perfectly calm, "I'm from the future. He is alive now if you can call it that but he died saving me in the future."

"What do you mean 'if you can call it that'?"

Gamesage twists his minded trying to explain what happened to him without revealing the Great Raogrimm has become the Shadow Lord.

"I said SPEAK!"

Gamesage eventually finds some words, "Under normal circumstances, he would have joined the undead, but like many before him and the tens of thousands after him because of the war, the Great Bane of Xarcabard twisted his dying body into a demon."

Zelig's knees hit the ground, his soul unable to process what he is hearing.

He continues, "When he was finally recognized for who he really was I was part of the group that was sent to save him, but after we purified him…" Gamesage looks back at the ground, his shoulders slouched, "But then we never made it out of Xarcabard," he says dejected.

Zelig puts his face in his hands in anguish.

"But even then…" Gamesage continues his story.

"Will this madness ever end?" Zelig laments in his mind. He leans forward putting his elbows on the ground.

"But even then his soul couldn't find peace, and I was part of the alliance that entered the Shrouded Lands and cleansed him one last time." Gamesage gives a meek but hopeful smile, "His soul may never find true peace as we understand it, but Cornelia has stubbornly refused to pass quietly as well though she has managed to remain whole. She hasn't left his side in thirty years and she refuses to ever abandon him. Maybe with her by his side for eternity he will discover the next best thing."

"OH!" Zelig begins to moan. He rolls over on his side in the dust, "…Oh how the Galkas have fallen if babes can utter such damnations. Altana must have truly forsaken us!"

"Altana has not forsaken us!" Gamesage rushes over to him. "She will give the Knowledge to another Galka so the Sacred Cycle will remain intact, a Galka that personifies the true ideals that Altana represents. I couldn't think of someone more worthy to become our next Tales Keeper." Gamesage grabs Zelig by his shoulders and lifts him up. He looks him in the eyes, "This is no sunset. This is a dawn. A truly HOLY Dawn! There won't just be peace between the Humes and the Galkas, but between the Beastmen and all of us. The wandering Moblin tribes have settled and formed their own nation, and many Beastmen now live in our cities."

Zelig can't believe this. "How can such a world come to be? Are you mad!"

Gamesage says calmly not realizing the coming rage, "In Mindartia, there is a peace treaty between the Yagudos and Windurst. Some Yagudos are even serving as mercenaries in our armies. My good friend Gessho is a Yagudo, we first met in Aht Urhgan. He's become a diplomat." Gamesage pauses briefly. His voice turns from hopeful to a more somber tone, "… But history has been altered pretty dramatically by now so at this point all that can be hoped for is to try to rewrite history as close to the original as possible."

Zelig hears none of the last sentence. "You're friends with the Beastmen! Have you betrayed us!" Zelig grabs Gamesage's coat.

"Wait, Zbig…" Gamesage doesn't finish the word, "Zelig…What are you doing?"

Zelig twists his arm and pushes Gamesage to the ground screaming "Guards! Guards!" as they are near the entrance. Gamesage breaks free of Zelig but not before he is stabbed in the arm. Bleeding heavily, he makes a run for it.

Gamesage takes the lead and rounds a corner. Before Zelig can follow he hears "My spirit soars high with you, Garuda!" A sudden gale whips up a giant dust cloud blinding the view and choking the air as the City Guards run up.

"What is it Zelig?" one of them shouts over the roar. Suddenly the wind stops and the dust begins to clear.

"This way hurry!" Zelig runs into the cloud.

As the dust settles, the Galkan solders follow the muddy blood trail. It stops abruptly at the Maw. Zelig drops to his knees out of breath and leans on his sword. He punches the ground, "Damn you!" He starts to cry softly, "Damn you" he whispers.

"Zelig, what happened? Where's that Adventurer that was with you?"

The anger chokes the tears. He stands up, wipes the blood from his sword and resheathes it. "Don't worry about him, he'll be back."

As he starts to walk back to the entrance, they notice he's limping.

"You should have the Tarutaru White Mages look at you," one says, "A force of Windurstian mages and Mithra Mercenaries have just arrived to aid us. I hear they're the best in all of Vana'diel."

As Zelig is being escorted to the Infirmary, they come across a loud confrontation between some Galkas and some Humes. They move quickly to assist the Hume unit already on the scene to mediate and disperse the crowd.

"What's going on here?" demands a Galka soldier.

"That boy is accused of theft," the commanding Hume says pointing , "Normally we pay no heed to Galkas disciplining their own young. But then the mob came and we had to intervene. We are still discerning the cause when you came charging up."

"What is your rank soldier?" the Galka asks.

"I am Second Staff Sergeant."

"Then I outrank you. I am First Sergeant. Give me your report."

"That rat stole something belonging to my boy!" a man shouts with his hand on his son's shoulder. His wife nods.

"I've stolen nothing!" a voice shouts coming from the crowd of Galkas.

"Bring the boy here," the first sergeant orders.

A Galka child with a black eye and bruised arms squeezes his way through the mob and stands in front of him. The boy salutes, "Sir?" Zelig grimaces in terror looking at the boy.

The sergeant folds his arms, "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I didn't do anything wrong Sir," he says meekly.

"Like Hell you did!" a Galka shouts, "You were playing with Hume children. A boy your age should know better!" The Galka soldiers all look surprised, all but Zelig. His face turns to pity.

"Is this true child?" the Galka sergeant asks.

"Yes Sir," he mumbles.

"What possessed you to do such a thing?" he asks shocked.

"I saw some Hume children play a game I didn't know so I watched a little bit. When I was spotted they decided to have some sport with me and invited me to play in their tournament. Then I won against him," he points at the boy, "The children had a toy necklace as a prize. He and the other children got into a yelling match over whether to give it to me since I won and he stormed off. He still had it with him when he and the others left." "I swear on the Goddess," he whimpers.

"How dare you lie hiding behind the dress of Altana!" The father clenches his fists and flails his arms. "I'll have you hanged rat for slandering my family! No Hume could ever lose to a Galka! You're nothing but a bunch of mindless buffoons! Stray cats take better orders than you wretches!"

As weapons begin to be drawn and fists are raised, Zelig jumps into the middle of the group before things turn physical, "All right! Everyone just calm down!" The fact that he faces the Galkas with his back to the Humes does not go unnoticed. "Everyone just stop please."

"Stop it Daddy!" a voice comes from behind. The high voice startles everyone from their rage and they all turn to see a group of children running towards them. Some dressed if fine clothes, others more worn.

"What are you girls doing here? Get back to the manor," a man orders looking down at the three girls standing in front of him, looking between twelve to five, "This isn't a place for children."

"We heard that Jasper lied about the game to get even with the nice mule so we all ran over," his middle child says.

"Father please," the oldest says taking him arm, "He really did win this week's tournament. He didn't cheat or anything. Can we hire him? He's really smart. Why didn't you ever tell us mules could be so smart?"

"Are you the children this boy played with?" the sergeant asks.

They all turn and see the beaten Galka child. A little girl, four at most, screams, "Doggie!" She runs over to the Galka boy and kisses him on the cheek. "You booboos ouchie?" she asks. Her brother, eight or nine, runs over and grabs her. "What did I tell you," he whispers sternly.

Zelig smiles when he sees them.

The older children turn to Jasper.

"Look what you've done!" a boy shouts.

"What was your problem anyway? Even if he is a Galka, he won fair and square and you know it," huffs a girl.

"You could have just won it again next week!" shouts another.

"Big meanie!" the little girl runs over and puts all her thirty-odd pounds of weight into a straight line punch. Jasper kneels over in pain, arms between his legs.

"Then you children confirm this boy's story about him winning some kind of game?" the Hume sergeant asks.

The little girl walks over to him and starts talking. She is almost impossible to understand so her older brother walks over, pulls her close and begins translating her toddler gibberish. Soon the other children all start to shout over each other adding their views to the narrative.

In spite the chaos Zelig can picture everything clearly in his mind:

The kids were having their gaming tournament and she saw the Galka child shyly watching behind a lamppost. She skips up very chipperly and introduces herself, "Hello my name Icie. What you name?"

"Drogo" the Galka whispers.

"Do you wanna play with us?"

He shakes his head no.

The girl looks confused. "You sure?"

Drogo hides his face behind the pole and nods.

She grins broadly and moves up to see him, "You really sure?"

"Yes," he says and backs up.

Icie walks up to him and grabs his hand and tries to drag him over, "If you don't wanna play why you watching us?"

By that time the other children have noticed her absence.

"She's over there!" she hears a kid yell.

"Get your filthy hands off of that girl Mine-Mule!" one of the older boys says as they surround Drogo trapping him against the sea wall three stories above the sea.

The girls grab Icie and pull her away. "Don't worry you're safe now," a girl says.

"What?" Icie asks confused.

"What you think you're doing Mine-Rat. Making friendly with the girls?" one says while another shoves him to the ground.

He kneels. "I do…do… nothing. I do nothing. Gir… Girl came to me," he stutters.

Some start to laugh. One kicks dirt in his face, "You expect us to believe a Hume would actually…"

"What you doing him you big bullies!" the little girl yells and tries to squeeze through the circle. The children turn deathly silent in pure utter shock. Little Icie runs up to Drogo, "You ok? Got booboos need kisses?"

"Sis, is the Galka telling the truth? Did you walk up to him?"

"Yep! And I asked him to play," she boasts proudly.

"Goddess, your little sister's an idiot," one boy says.

"Yeah what are your parents teaching you two?" a girl asks.

Some of the boys start to crowd the brother. He grabs his sister and holds her close.

"Sis, Galka and Hume kids don't play with each other," he says watching the other children. She keeps asking "why" until her older brother tries to slap her. The Galka kid grabs his arm before he hits her.

"Hey what do you think you're doing you filthy mule!" the boy who had kicked dirt in his face punches Drogo. Drogo doesn't flinch. The boy grabs his hand, falls to his knees crying "My hand! I broke my hand!"

Jasper interjects, "Did you guys honestly think you were really beating him up you morons. Even the strongest Hume that has ever lived could be broken like a tooth pick by a weakest Galka in history." He gets in Drogo's face, smiling as he mocks him patronizingly, "That's why the Galka are nothing more than servants. They have big muscles and tiny brains. They can't even tie their own shoelaces without a Hume telling them how to do it. If she won't listen to us then let's just show her how superior Humes are to Galka and let him play."

Drogo doesn't know any Hume games so Icie shows him how to play the first game. Drogo wins. They move to another game, another child impressed shows him how to play this one, Drogo wins again. This goes on through the tournament until Drogo has a small cheering section that goes nuts when Drogo wins against Jasper becoming the champion. Jasper refuses to acknowledge the win and turn over the prize, the necklace, and leaves.

The older brother then screams over the others pointing at Jasper, "I took the necklace because he was being a doodie-head and wouldn't give it to him!" He pulls on a chain around his neck revealing a gold pendant with a purple gem. He holds it out to Drogo, "Here this is yours."

Jasper's father goes to hit the brother but Drogo gets in the way again.

The Hume soldiers separate them. "Can I see that child?" the Galka sergeant holds out his hand. He takes it and holds it up to the light, "This looks like gold but the scratches are silver in color."

"May I see it," asks Jasper's mother, "Our family runs a jewelry store."

The Galka nods and hands it to her. She examines it. "Why this is nothing but gold plated tin. And ugh! The cut on this jewel is horrendous. A cut like this should be a crime worse than murder!" She stands up straighter and turns to her son, "Where did you find such a thing!" she scolds.

"The dog was playing with it," he moans still in some pain, "I thought it be a good piece of junk for the Port rabble."

She hands it back to the sergeant barely pinching the chain with her index and thumb and holding her nose with the other hand, "The dog must have found it in the bushes in front of the store burying his bones. Some fool thought it was worth something and tried to sell it." After he takes it back, she shoos him off like a servant, "Go on now! Take that disgusting thing away and toss it in the harbor where it belongs."

"Then it's all true then…" the father looks at the ground. He clinches his fists and glares at his son, "You really did lose to a Galka…"

The son tries to run away but the other men in the group grab him. His father walks over, "Not only did you lie to me, but you lost to a Rat! How am I supposed to face my associates and suppliers. Do you know what will happen to our business when they find out my son lost to a…!"

The mother walks between them, "Don't you dare beat him! It will do nothing to regain our honor." He turns his glare to her.

"Then what would you suggest woman?" he asks bitterly.

"Humes can never beat a Galka when it comes to brute strength. The only way to beat a brute is with your mind. Challenge the child to a game of chess and end this once and for all."

"I accept," Drogo says without hesitation.

The father turns around, "You're challenging me mine-mule?"

Drogo nods, "I won it from your son so it's only fair that I should let you win it back." Then he asks, "What's chess?"

The father laughs. "I accept your challenge! The price will be that worthless piece of tin."

"What are you doing lowering yourself like this?" the Hume sergeant asks shocked.

"I have been Bastok's chess champion for nine years and have never lost a match," he gloats, "This won't take long."

The Humes leave with their children, including the parents and their son to retrieve a chess set. The Galka sergeant puts his hands on his hips, looks down at his feet, shakes his head and sighs in disbelief.

"Sergeant, permission to speak freely?" asks Zelig.

"Proceed," he says raising his head pinching the bridge of his nose between his eyes.

"I think we should allow this match to go ahead."

The sergeant looks up shocked, "What? Why?"

"As unorthodox as this situation is, if we intervene to prevent this match from occurring, tensions will only escalate further. If we allow this match to proceed it will give closure to this disturbance."

"As if there can ever be closure between us and the Humes," interrupts one of the civilian Galkas. Many nod in silence.

"As much as I'd hate to admit this, you're probably right Zelig." The Galka sergeant turns to the other soldiers, "Men you are to give security and crowd control for this match. Keep things civil. We don't want another riot on our hands."

"Yes Sir!" they all salute.

As the civilian Galkas leave for the match one comes up to Zelig. "The greatest depths of hell are reserved for traitors and mutineers," he whispers.

"You should remember that fact," Zelig whispers back.

One of the other civilians places his hand on the Galka's shoulder, "You're wasting your time with him. This man is a friend of Gumbah." The first Galka turns to his friend and nods. Then they both walk off. Zelig begins walking away.

"What was that about?" a Hume soldier asks.

"It's nothing."

Zelig walks to the Infirmary with his head down the whole way. They want to keep him for observation because he is so pale and trembling slightly, but Zelig manages to talk his way back to duty.

Word spreads quickly for such a big city and a larger crowd than expected gathers for the match. The father gives a very rudimentary explanation of the game then they begin.

"You don't expect this match to proceed without my presents?" an old man walks out of the crowd and is stopped by the soldiers. The father sees him and looks surprised.

"What are you doing here? This isn't an official match," he says standing up.

"You know this man?" one of the soldiers asks.

"I am the head of the Bastok Chess Association. I brought my identification with me if you need it officers," he hands them some papers.

"I have every intention of officiating this match," he says walking over. He looks at the boy, "I'm told your name is Drogo little one," he smiles.

Drogo stands up as well. "Yes sir," he nods.

"But sir, this is just a rat," protests the father.

The judge turns to him. "My grandfather would tell me a story from his time in the army of a Galka who carved him a new chess set after his was lost in battle," he glances at Drogo, "I learn to play off that set." Then turns back to him, "And he told me that story of when he saved his life over and over again 'til I mumbled his name in my sleep. Even if this is against a Galka, you know the rules against unauthorized matches. If you wish to continue, I will be judging. Unless you wish to forfeit your membership?"

The father grumbles and sits back down.

"Good, then let's get started," he says taking his place next to the board.

"Checkmate, three moves!" Drogo says excitedly.

"What!" the father shouts. Drogo explains pointing at the pieces with the judge hovering over them.

"He's got you there," the judge says.

"This was only practice," the father protests, "I was just seeing that he understood the rules."

Before the judge can say anything, Drogo interrupts, "It's ok. We can go again. It wouldn't end this if he claims he wasn't really trying."

The judge leans back up and sighs shaking his head. "The practice match is over. The real match begins now by mutual consent!" he announces loudly to the crowd. He and the father exchange angry glares.

"Checkmate, six moves!" Drogo wins again, this time even faster.

"Matches are two out of three," the father protests again.

"Ok then," Drogo nods and they go one more time. This time the match is more even, but eventually the child withers down the man to a few pieces. It is obvious to everyone that Drogo is going to win again.

Drogo suddenly pokes the judge. "I need to go pee," he whispers.

He raises his hand, "Ten minute break! Go to the lavatory if you need to!"

Drogo knocks over his chair as he scurries off to the laughter of the crowd. The father turns around and watches him leave.

The father paces around stretching his legs. Then, as he hears Drogo making his way back, he sits lazily in Drogo's chair. "Welcome back," he says motioning to his empty chair.

Drogo walks over and touches the rook as the judge yells "No!" Drogo looks up at the judge with the rook in his hand, "What?"

The soldiers keep the unruly crowd at bay as the Galkas and now many Humes cry foul.

"And you call this a match of honor!" one Hume man shouts.

The father feigns innocence, "He touched the piece. Rules say he claims the color."

"What?" Drogo looks back and forth between them confused at first, but the many Humes laughing hysterically quickly brings him to reality.

"Hey you tricked me!" he shouts pointing angrily.

"I'm sorry boy but rules are rules. You touched it," the judge sighs. He leans down to Drogo's ear. "Don't worry. You still have one more match," he whispers.

"There won't be another match," Drogo says sternly putting the rook down. He glares angrily at the father. He returns it with a cocky grin.

"Checkmate! I win."

The crowd goes silent for several moments. Then a lone clapper starts. Then another, and then another, and another. Then a cheer from the depths of the crowd. The energy crescendos with almost everyone cheering, both Galka and Hume at the outcome. Drogo wins with an impossible hand.

Two Galkan soldiers run up from crowd control and lift Drogo on their shoulders. Drogo is happy at first enjoying the energy of the crowd. Then one of the soldiers screams something in Galkan and Drogo's face turns to horror. The chant moves through the crowd with even some Humes getting in on the act not knowing what they are saying. Drogo searches the crowd terrified and discovers a single face as horrified as he is at the chant. He stares at the Galka for a long time watching him hit his knees then roll over on his side lamenting.

Suddenly a faint sound rises above the jubilation. The crowd slowly goes quiet as people listen to the noise. A murmur moves though the crowd thinking it's a bell ringing frantically. Suddenly the two soldiers drop Drogo and all the soldiers run towards the gate. The civilians soon begin to panic and scatter. The lamenting soldier grabs Drogo in the chaos and runs to the barracks.

"Stay here!" he orders.

"What's happening!" Drogo cries.

"The city is under attack." Then he runs away.

Two days later, Gamesage is rewarded quietly for ringing the alarm bell like a wild man while most of the guards are quietly punished for leaving their posts to come watch the match. If Gamesage hadn't given the warning, the surprise attack would have been devastating. Zelig, confused as ever, decides to keep quiet over the events earlier that day.

The week after the attack, Zelig and his unit are returning from security in Mines when a child runs up to them.

"Hey you're the boy from the other day aren't you?" one asks.

"Yes sir," Drogo answers.

The soldiers smile and try to gather round the boy to talk to him. But Drogo runs and hugs Zelig's legs and starts to cry. The others' smiles fade as they look at him for an answer.

"I saved the boy from the stampede," Zelig turn to his sergeant, "Sir permission to walk behind with the boy?"

He nods, "Alright men back to the barracks. Zelig will catch up with us."

Zelig watches them leave then he leans down, "I'm surprised you recognized me after the short time we spent together."

Drogo shakes his head, "No I came here because I saw you crying in the crowd when the chant started. You feel the same way I do right?" Drogo sniffles.

Zelig gives a depressed smirk and nods.

"What's gonna happen to me? When the Humes find out I was called the name of their President's killer?"

Zelig puts his hand under his chin, "Don't worry about a thing. It was wrong to call you by the name of that murderer, but you've become a hero in your own way. No one will betray you to the Humes over this."

Drogo smiles, "I've never heard him called a murderer before." Zelig, startled at his slip of the tongue, falls backwards on his butt. Drogo nods, "I think he is too. You're called Zelig right?"

Zelig and the child are still talking as he walks into Markets. "Drogo, why didn't you defend yourself when those Hume boys were harassing you?"

"I didn't want to fight. With everything happening with the war I didn't want to make things worse. You saw how everyone reacted. What would have happened if it had been a real fight and not a game?"

"That was very adult of you Drogo."

Drogo gives a short depressed chuckle, "From what I've seen even adults aren't very adult then."

"That's true," Zelig puts his hand on Drogo's shoulder, "That is very true. Drogo, I always see you by yourself watching the other children."

"I don't know. I just don't feel like playing. I never really have, even before the war. I just like to watch."

"You know Drogo, in your past cycle, you were quite the loner. I guess it's just part of your nature. But just because it's part of your nature doesn't mean you're alone. You have friends, good friends. Now more than ever. Even among the Humes." Zelig laughs at his last sentence. "Why were you watching the Humes playing anyway?" he asks as the chuckles fade.

"I like watching Humes play. You know even though they play different games they play just like we play?"

"Children are children no matter what their race is", Zelig says.

"Even among the Beastmen?" Drogo asks.

Zelig becomes uncomfortable and is unable to think of a response.

The boy says thoughtfully, "If all of Vana'diel's children were allowed to play together, I bet there won't be any wars." He looks up at Zelig, "Why do grownups hate each other?"

"It's a long story," Zelig says.

"I know that, I read a lot, but I still can't find it."

"Find what?"

"Find why everyone hates each other," Drogo answers, "Humes and Galkas hated each other even before the killing, the Elvaan hate everyone. People treat the Mithra as savages, no better than Beastmen. The Tarutaru are nice to everyone but their kindness is not returned because they are so small and weak no one takes them seriously. Even the different Beastmen all hate each other."

"I know that, not 'til this Shadow Lord came along have the Beastmen united like this against us."

"You know that the Beastmen and Enlightened didn't always fight?"

"What?!" Zelig takes his hand off the boy and jumps back with a start.

Drogo turns and faces him, "Yeah, back when the Elvaan and the Humes were always at war, the Beastmen would fight for Bastok. But that was before…" Drogo's voice drops off and looks at the ground.

"Before we were driven from our home by the Anticas?" Zelig finishes his sentence.

Drogo nods slowly. He clinches his fists and starts to cry.

Zelig kneels down, but before he can say anything, Drogo wraps his arms around his neck. He looks up avoiding the child's face and sees on top of the wall the father with a crossbow aimed at them. He fires. Zelig throws the child aside to shield him and is struck in the chest.

In the hospital Gamesage is trying to force his way to see his friend.

"There is nothing we can do but make him comfortable," a nurse says.

"I can save him!" Gamesage yells.

"There is nothing you can do, even the Taru White Mages can't save Zelig," an orderly says pushing him back.

Gamesage becomes furious. He puts his hands into a hand sign and screams "I howl at the Moon along side you, Fenrir!"

Everyone stares at him, then runs in terror as a giant wolf-like beast appears. Gamesage grabs the screaming nurse, "Where is he?" He glares at her with demonic eyes.

She points down the hallway shaking hard.

"Clear the path!" he orders and carrying the nurse, they charge through the hallway. They break through the door into the room of the dying Galka. Gamesage puts down the nurse, but she doesn't even hear him say "thank you" before she faints. Fenrir rounds up everyone into a corner, including the Tarus, but their fear turns to amazement at what happens next.

Gamesage thanks Fenrir and he disappears. Then Gamesage says, "May your light guide me, Carbuncle", and a glowing squirrel appears before everyone. "Help me save Zbigniew." The two then use healing magics the Tarus have never seen before. Gamesage smiles, then Carbuncle disappears as did Fenrir. Zelig opens his eyes and sits up completely healed, but disoriented, as soldiers rush in and drag Gamesage away.

A while later as Zelig is dressing, the children come in. Drogo runs up and hugs him crying. The children all ask if he's all right, and tell him that a funny dressed Galka did some weird magics and saved him. And that he was arrested by the soldiers.

A nurse comes in, "You children need to leave now." A soldier is behind her.

The children start to leave but Drogo won't let go of him. "Come on Gamesage let's go," says little Icie.

"What did you just call him?!" Zelig asks startled.

"We called him Gamesage sir," the brother says, "It's the title we give the winner of the tournament because he or she is the master, or sage if you will, of all games."

"I see" he says looking down at the crying child patting him on the head, "It's ok… I'm ok… you need to go now. I'll come find you later. I promise… Gamesage."

Drogo looks up, nods, and walks sniffling out of the room with the girl holding one hand and the brother the other.

One of the Galka guards fumes, "You shouldn't encourage the children to answer to their Hume names like dogs."

Zelig retorts angrily, "That child just proved that we are more than a strong set of muscles to all of Bastok, no, to all the Alliance and in time I bet the entire world will know his name. Gamesage is no trivial nickname. It is a title of honor. It is our duty to instill pride in our children isn't it?"

The next day after he is released, the adult Gamesage is practicing against himself in a game of chess on the same board he used as a child. He is rubbing the pendent of a necklace like prayer beads in one hand as he plays.

Zelig walks up to him. "I hear you saved my life yesterday. The Tarus said that the magics you used are in the most preliminary of development and are nowhere near as refined and powerful as what you displayed." He sits down opposite of Gamesage. "You're Drogo aren't you? Everything you said is true then."

Gamesage smiles and nods. "At least that is what I am trying to make happen again."

"Is that the famous necklace? May I see it?"

"Of course," Gamesage gives Zelig the necklace.

He looks at it, "This is a San d'Orian design."

Gamesage nods, "It's just a Wing Pendant. It's not worth anything though. Just a low level knick-knack the Temple gives out."

"What game did you win this in anyway?"

"Hangman," Gamesage smiles chuckling, "They assumed that I was illiterate. Then when they realized I could read, Jasper had one of his goons get a dictionary." He looks down at the board and moves a knight taking a pawn. "Good book the dictionary, such big words. I used to practice by drawing letters in the dirt."

Zelig smiles and looks back down at the necklace. He runs his fingers over the length of a large gash stretching from one feather tip to the other. Even the jewel is gouged. "This looks almost like a claw mark…" he thinks.

"Looks like this poor thing has seen too many battles," Zelig says looking up from examining it.

Gamesage closes his eyes. "Yes. It has definitely seen one too many battles," he answers slower and more deliberately than his normal cadence.

"You still have it after all this time?"

Gamesage opens his eyes. "I've never lost a match," he says, "if I had I would have given it up to the new winner."

Zelig gives it back, "I see… Did I die originally Drogo?"

Gamesage looks down at the chess board, "Yes, yes you did. But not in this battle. Lots of people did die though because no one was on duty. The man who shot you died too." He adds bitterly, "Funny what happens when you save a life."

Zelig nods in sympathy. "People are starting to ask questions after what you did for me, you should disappear for awhile."

Gamesage nods back, "I need to go back home to the future Windurst and Aht Urhgan anyway, my clothes and weapons are damaged and I need to stock back up on supplies." He smiles broadly and almost laughs at the thought, "There are so many things that just haven't been invented yet that I hope you get to see."

"Aht Urhgan, really?" Zelig asks hopeful.

"Yes they have recently reopened the borders between our two lands. They have many powerful magics in their own right."

"I see…" his voice drops, "Then they will not aid us?"

Gamesage shakes his head.

Zelig looks down at the chess board, then raises his head smiling, "A Galkan mage, especially one of your caliber, that's quite a sight. When did you learn the Taru magics?"

"Originally, the battle was completely devastating like I said before, everyone blamed me. But the kids never hated me, especially little Icie and her older brother Zeddie…."

Zelig interrupts, "Shh! Shh! Don't enunciate his nickname so loud," he whispers.

Gamesage nods, "Alright Ceddie then… Anyway, their parents fell in love with me too. After you died at the end of the war, they were all I had. When they moved to Windurst chasing the schools of fish, I went with them."

"This atrocious war must go on for decades then," Zelig laments hiding his face in his hands.

"No, actually it will end in the next year or so."

"But you're so young!"

Gamesage shrugs, "That depends on your perspective, twenty-four is a standard age for leaving home for the other races."

"But wait, if I… at the end of the war…that?"

Gamesage starts crying profusely. He starts trembling and puts his head on the chess board.

"Drogo," Zelig stands up and rushes to him knocking the chess board over. Gamesage grabs him and they fall to the ground. He hugs Zelig in an iron grip, "Zbigniew" he coughs in jagged breaths. He's in the full throws of a panic attack.

A crowd starts to gather.

"Gamesage, Gamesage, get a hold of yourself," he says. "Drogo, please…" Zelig whispers.

"Gamesage!" a Mithra in sanctioned San d'Orian Temple White Mage garb runs up and does a running slide on her knees into the duo. "Sage…Sage?"

"Bear…" Gamesage whispers as he lays his head on her chest.

"Brother please stand, the guards are coming," she whispers earnestly.

Gamesage stumbles to his feet as the guards come. They carry him to the Infirmary.

As the doctors and mages look him over, Zelig asks the Mithra to come with him to a quiet area where they can talk alone. They enter a storage room.

"You called Gamesage 'brother' back there didn't you?"

"Oh," she has a startled look on her face. She brings her hands to under her chin griping them nervously. "Um… yes, yes I did." She bobs down briefly is submission, before standing up straighter. "Gamesage and I are really good friends, obviously we're not related."

"You from the future too?" Zelig asks.

The Mithra panics and begins to talk incoherently fast as she backs up. She slams her body hard into the wall. Zelig pins her on either side with his gigantic arms.

"It's alright, Drogo told me everything. I'm his Zbigniew. My name's Zelig. He called you Bear right?"

The Mithra calms down. She smiles and nods, "Yes… Zbigniew."

Zelig smiles and his eyes light up as he hears her pronounce it perfectly. Even those who choose friendship with Galkas find it almost impossible to speak the Galkan language, just another barrier between the races.

Suddenly Zelig feels the pressure of a blade against his neck although there is no one else in the room. A disembodied voice comes out of thin air, "What are you thinking about doing to our little silk farmer?"

"Gollum no! He's Sage's father!" Bearstar yells. Zelig feels the blade lift.

There's a knock at the half opened door, "What's the noise in here?" A San d'Orian Temple Knight enters. "Are you here alone?" he asks. His sword is drawn.

Zelig feels a trembling body crouching behind him but when he looks there's no one there, as there was before with the ghostly voice.

"An invisibility spell?" he thinks to himself.

"Yes, I am alone," he says looking up at the Knight.

"Are you sure?" he walks behind Zelig and takes a swing with his sword into the thin air behind him but he strikes nothing but the floor.

"What on Vana'diel do you think you are doing?!" Zelig yells.

The knight puts the point of the sword to his throat, "Where did she go?"

"Where did who go?"

"Don't play games with me mine-rat."

"Stand down knight!" Gumbah is standing at the door. The Knight sheathes his weapon.

"What's this about?" Gumbah enters the room.

After he enters, the door squeaks wider seemingly on its own. Nothing an unbalanced hinge wouldn't do, but just enough for someone thin like the Mithran race to slither through. It goes unnoticed to all but Zelig.

"I'm looking for the Mithra that helped that Galkan mage to the hospital. She matches the description of a Mithran fugitive sentenced to death in San d'Oria for Grand Heresy against the Goddess."

"With the arrival of the new battalions there are nearly a hundred Mithras in the capital. How can you be so positive that you draw your sword?" Gumbah says with stern authority.

"Because she is a known associate of that Galkan mage that made a spectacle of himself a few days ago that was just carried in. There's no mistaking it. I've interrogated him myself personally on previous occasions." The Knight turns and points angrily at Zelig, "and THIS Galka was just seen talking to her!"

"Zelig, what happened?" Gumbah asks Zelig with concern in his voice.

Zelig takes a deep breath, "I called the Mithra that helped carry Gamesage aside to thank her for helping. She nodded then left. I don't know who she is, she didn't give her name nor did I ask."

"Then why are you in this room alone?" the Knight demands.

"The war gets to all of us at times," Zelig answers with a touch of exhaustion in his voice.

"There's your answer knight now leave at once," Gumbah orders.

"Rats run in packs," the Knight whispers under his breath as he leaves the room.

Gumbah looks at Zelig earnestly, "Zelig we've been friends for decades, please tell me I didn't just lie to a Temple Knight of all people. We're on our last legs, forging an alliance is the only chance Bastok has of survival! We don't need any trouble."

"I didn't lie," he says, "Everything I said was true."

Gumbah gives a sigh of relief, "Thank you Zelig." Gumbah leaves satisfied.

Zelig turns to the wall, puts his arms up and leans against it...

"Drogo what are you getting me into?" he whispers.


	3. Chapter 2: A Star was Born Tonight

**Chapter 2: A Star was Born Tonight**

Two days later in the remains of Port, Zelig is eating lunch alone at one of the docks thinking over the past week in his mind. His best friend and loyal comrade Gamesage is actually little Drogo, about the future he described, the shock and burden of eventually becoming young Drogo's zbigniew, his upcoming death, Gamesage's sudden disappearance again, last seen walking towards the mysterious Cavernous Maw outside the city gates where he had disappeared in that sudden dust storm. He rubs his neck as his thoughts trail towards the Mithra who called him "brother" who is marked for death and that voice that came out of nowhere.

As Zelig puts his head in his hands lost in his own mind, an Elvaan man in a deep red Far Eastern armor without his head piece and a Hume woman in a deep blue armor with silver accents carrying her helm with baby wyvern in tow begin walking up the dock. He glances behind him hearing the clink of armor.

Although their clothes are structurally similar to the standard Ninja and Drachen armor sets, the differences leave him questioning their true professions. But the baby wyvern basically confirms to him that the woman is a Dragoon of some sort. The Elvaan has a hard worn face with his long black hair pulled into a cropped ponytail. His wide cheekbones add emphasis to his stern but friendly eyes and his beard and mustache box out his face camouflaging a sharp pointed chin. The Hume woman is truly a radiant sight to behold, with her long flowing blonde hair pulled high on her head in a ponytail. But even so her hair still dangles well below her shoulders.

His curiosity satisfied, Zelig returns to his depression. He sighs deeply and hangs his head.

A short breeze from the harbor causes the baby wyvern to raise its head and sniff. Then it spots the Galka's picnic lunch and dashes forward. The wyvern starts gobbling it down. Zelig snaps out of his daze, "Hey!"

The Dragoon runs up, "No! Firewing!" she scolds. She grabs the dragon gently by its neck and pulls it back. "I'm sorry Uncle Zelig! Sage spoils him so much he'll eat any Galka's food."

Zelig takes a double-take looking at the woman up close, the shock blocking his hearing, "Bluesky?! What?"

She kneels down on his right side petting her wyvern as he finishes his stolen spoils, "I'm sorry Uncle… but you're a generation off." The Elvaan sits down on his left.

"Ah, you're another time traveler," Zelig looks down at what is left of his lunch.

"Yes, we haven't been formally introduced but I'm named after my great-grand mother."

Zelig smiles and nods, "Blueice." His face goes blank as a thought skips through his mind, "Wait, Blueice… as in little Icie? That toddler that started this whole mess?"

"Yep that's me and this is my husband, Bluegollum."

Zelig spins around and stares at the Elvaan. The Elvaan nods and puts his fist in his palm, "Greetings."

"Your voice?!"

"Don't you have something to say to my Uncle honey?" Blueice says scowling.

Bluegollum turns away, "My apologies."

"I see… you're a Ninja then." Zelig turns to Blueice. "Please tell me you two met of your own accord and that the rumors of your family's involvement with the Norg pirates are lies?" he asks gravely concerned.

"We met on our own," she says.

"Thank Altana." Zelig clasps his hands together in prayer with relief.

"In our time, Adventures use linkshells to form their own organizations and companies. We belong to the same one," Bluegollum adds.

"And what do these organizations do?"

"Anything from private busywork for civilians to national assassinations for the Three Nations and the Duchy, whatever the price this right," Bluegollum says with ease.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that last part."

Bluegollum laughs at Zelig.

The most arousing aroma permeates the air accompanied by the sounds of sweetly singing bells.

"I come bearing gifts!"

Firewing lifts its head off of Blueice's lap, runs over and starts hopping at the feet of that same Mithra, dressed in traditional leather clothing, from moccasin high boots to braided hair ties. Beautifully beaded with shimmering bells accented with glistening bone jewelry, she looks like a regal queen. She is carrying a large picnic basket.

"I thought I told you to dress inconspicuously," Bluegollum's snaps angrily.

"It's my birthday," she answers back smiling. Her brown pigtails frame her childish smile perfectly.

"That's not the point. How are we supposed to keep you alive if you keep drawing attention to yourself," he complains while standing up.

"You told me to dress in Mithran clothing. This is how we dress on special occasions."

"There's no arguing with her Blue-G," Blueice interjects, "You know how she is." She stands up grabbing her lance, "besides it's too late."

Zelig stands up quickly seeing Bluegollum placing his hand on the hilt of his katana. "Don't even think it," he tells him placing his hand firmly on Bluegollum's left shoulder.

A group of Mithra Mercenaries walk up. "By the Living Mother, you look absolutely gorgeous!" one says. All agree with her.

"What's the special occasion?" asks another.

"How did you smuggle your ceremonial dress from the Homeland?" asks another.

One takes a deep breath through her nose, clasps her hands together and jumps up and down in excitement, "That smells soooooo good! Where you get that food?"

"Thank you very much," the Mithra says beaming, "It's my birthday. That's my secret. And I cooked it myself."

"Really, Happy Birthday! How old are you?" the first one asks.

"That's not fair!" the second one says putting her hands on her hips and stamping her right foot. "My birthday's next week and I'm stuck in my loincloth."

"I'm twenty-five today," she says turning to the other Mithra, "and if it fits you can borrow my dress and if it doesn't you can definitely borrow my jewelry."

"Really?! Thank you sooo much!" she jumps up and down clapping excitedly.

"Excuse me, miss. But can I please ask you a big favor?" asks the mercenary who asked about the food.

The Mithra nods, "Always."

"We just found out our Major's daughter's birthday is today. Could you cook for her? We've been trying to put some sort of party together but it's been no luck." The mood of the Mithran warriors turns suddenly solemn for seemingly no good reason.

Zelig lets go of Bluegollum's shoulder in surprise, "Wait, what's your Major's daughter doing in the middle of a war zone?"

"Our Major's daughter is deathly ill. She just couldn't leave her behind to die alone. It's a miracle she wakes up each morning."

"I can't understand how she can smile and laugh like any other child with how much pain she's in," adds another looking at the ground.

"I don't think she realizes that she's different from the other children," one answers.

"I'd be honored to give her a proper birthday," the Mithra says.

"I'd like to help too," Zelig says stepping forward.

"That be wonderful!" says the Mithra who asked about the food. "We haven't been able to find any toys because of the rationing of materials here. Could you help us find one? Any toy will do."

"When I think of toys, I think of a teddy bear. They are extremely simple to make if we can't find one already made but I bet when the toymakers hear about her I'd bet we'd get it for free."

All the Mithras' faces light up and look at each other. "What's a teddy bear?" several spit out at once excitedly.

"Well…" Zelig tries to think of how to describe one, "I guess it's like a small pillow shaped like a bear."

The Blues and their Mithra friend back away as the Mithras crowd around Zelig.

"How do you play with one?" they all spit out again.

"Well… I guess it's like a comforter, children carry it around and hug it and sleep with it. It's like a best friend."

The Mithras start cheering, clapping, jumping up and down, hugging each other, screaming "We did it! That's perfect!" One hugs Zelig, "Bearstar's gonna love this teddy bear thing! I know she will!"

"What did you say!" Zelig says shocked. Her turns his head to look at the Mithra, remembering that Gamesage had called her Bear. She looks away and whistles rocking back and forth on her heels in a childish manner. Bluegollum seeing this slaps her in the arm glaring at her. "Ouch", she takes her right hand off the picnic basket handles and rubs her left arm. She turns to him and sticks out her tongue.

"What is it, does Bearstar mean something in Bastok?" the Mithra steps back from hugging Zelig.

"What? Oh no it's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Let's hurry before it's noticed…" starts a Mithra in the back.

"Noticed what? That you're all AWOL?" a new voice says angrily from behind the crowd.

All the Mithras freeze in raw terror and slowly turn around. Another Mithra, noticeably rather short with her brown hair pulled high similar to Blueice's and conspicuously dressed in a mismatched, bright red harness set, is glaring at them all with her right hand on her hip. In her other arm she holds a sleeping child with her little arms hugging her neck. Her tail twitches as she dreams. The woman's facial stripes circling her blue-green eyes intensifies her growl erasing any softness the babe gives to her appearance. She bares her fangs.

"Major Viki!" they scream.

"You wake my daughter and I'll have all your fur coats as a rug," she says sternly.

"Yes ma'am," they say in unison saluting their superior.

"Continue with your activities, Copperheads dismissed."

The Mithras looked shocked and glance at each other.

"When you all become mothers you will all find that your senses become heightened, especially concerning your children." She uses her free hand to wipe her eyes, "Thank you. You're all such wonderful kittens." She repositions her daughter so she can hold her better as she sniffles. "And if any of you ever mention that I cried I'll personally hack your tails," Major Viki points at the group.

"Yes Major," they salute again and begin to run off.

"Oh and girls…" Major Viki turns around to face them.

They stop running and walk back, "Yes Major?"

"You don't have to worry about tracking down any sweets, a simple piece of cheese will light up her face, she loves it even more then sugar."

"Yes, Ma'am." They turn around and run off again.

Major Viki turns to the group, "I'm surprised to see an assassin openly dining with a soldier, or has Bastok fallen so far that this city only stands by the aid of pirates?"

Bluegollum retorts, "This great country was founded by Hume immigrants fleeing poverty in the Far East to make their fortunes in the great mythril rush hundreds of years ago. When one is uprooted even the minutest of traditions become immutable pillars of the new society created. That all Ninjas are dangerous criminals is an unfortunate misconception."

"My apologies then," Major Viki makes a quick bob instead of bowing in fear of waking her child. She turns to the Mithra, "That food smells as beautiful as you look. Oh…" she has a guilty look on her face as she stares at the basket, "I won't bother you about it though." She looks back up at her face and smiles but can't cover up her disappointment.

"You don't have to worry Major," the Mithra says, "We've all agreed to help your warriors make arrangements. It won't be an all-you-can-eat buffet or anything but I'll see what I can manage."

"Hey wait when did I agree to…" Before Bluegollum can finish Blueice jabs him it the butt with her lance. An argument ensues.

With a shouting match in the background Zelig steps forward, "It will be my greatest honor to help throw a proper party for your ailing daughter."

"They told you she was sick then to force you to help, is that it?!" Viki's eyes burn with rage.

"Why would we need convincing to help with a little girl's fifth birthday party? Even the Beastmen spoil their children every chance they get. Don't worry about a thing we got ya covered." The Mithra puts her right hand out in a victory sign and sticks out her tongue. Then she smiles the broadest smile in the world unable to control her giggling.

Major Viki goes bug-eyed for a moment then starts to weep. She puts her arm out as if to hug someone and takes a few steps forward. She tries to say something but when she stops dead in her tracks it comes out as only a whimper. Then Major Viki stares at Zelig with fear in her face. She wipes her face and puts a fake smile on, "We'll I guess we'll all meet up later then. Don't forget about the cheese." Major Viki sprints off clinging to her daughter.

Zelig turns to the Mithra, realizing that in spite at least a full Galka's hand difference in height, they look like twins. "That's your mother isn't it?"

"Yep that's little old me," Bearstar says smiling. As soon as those words come out of her mouth she crinkles her brow, rolls her eyes up and juts out her lower lip. She puts her right hand to her chin, "Or is it little young me?"

Unbeknownst to everyone the wyvern is laying at the end of the dock amusing itself by watching the fish in the harbor. As Blueice starts to win the argument Bluegollum starts backing up. Zelig and Bearstar turn around to the sudden sound of a screaming dragon and a large splash in the water.

"You idiot you stepped on the baby!" Blueice hollers angrily with her arm raised in the air. She kneels down. "Are you ok my precious?" Blueice says scratching it under the chin.

"What ever happened to when I was your precious?" Bluegollum says pouting from the water.

Bearstar puts the basket down and puts her hands around her mouth, "Just wait 'til you two have a real baby then you'll really be in trouble Gollum!"

A look of unadulterated terror consumes his face. He takes a deep breath and slips gently underneath the rippling waves.

A half hour later, Bluegollum has his armor and clothes laid out in the sun to dry. Dressed only in his boxer shorts, he has his head in his wife's lap talking to one another as the dragon sleeps next to them. Down at the edge of the dock, Zelig and Bearstar are talking and eating. She has taken her boots off and has her feet kicking in the water.

"Have you told your mother as Gamesage has told me?"

"No, she'd never believe me even if I did, not because of the whole time travel thingy, I'd think she'd be down with that, but me living to be ten was a stretch of the imagination. Me living to see twenty-five and to be healthy enough to try my hand at Adventuring is even beyond me and I'm the one living it."

"Didn't the ninja call you a silk farmer?"

"Oh that, there's been a nasty drought the past few years and the crawlers are destroying what little grass is left for the livestock. Between harvesting the wild silk for the weaver's guild and gathering calculi to prove you've killed your share, it's decent money for an Adventurer."

Zelig looks down at the water, "May I ask what…"

"I have the falling sickness, ever since I was a baby."

Zelig has a shocked and scared look on his face, "Then you are still ill?"

Bearstar leans back and puts her arms under her head using her hands as a pillow, "Yep, every breath I take could be my last. That's why everyone is so protective of me."

"How can you live like that?" Zelig asks in despair.

Bearstar wistfully watches the clouds overhead for a few moments. "You tell me something first…" she pauses for emphasis, "How can you NOT live like that?" she answers back with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"I'm sorry."

"No biggie."

Bearstar sighs, "I was too young to remember directly, but I've been told and now I've heard first hand that she says that dying hurts more than anything you can imagine but after the pain stops it's so wonderful you forget you ever felt pain at all, that all my suffering would end."

Zelig watches her close her eyes. He can tell she's trying to stop the tears.

She opens them again after a few moments, "I've seen so much as a White Mage. Illness and injury, dying and after dying. Even the souls that have found 'peace' still walk among us, with their troubles and turmoils. I've seen souls waffle between damnation, salvation and back again." She closes her eyes one more time, "I'm so glad Altana has let me come back and meet her, the woman and not the legend. Her doubts and her fears, her faith and her courage. I feel so much stronger and certain now after being able to have real conversations with her."

She opens her eyes and watches the clouds again.

Zelig watches her face lose its worry and transform back into the carefree innocence she had before. She smiles and splashes her feet. Zelig also leans back and watches the clouds with Bearstar.

Bearstar points at a cloud, "Look that one looks like an opo-opo."

"An op-a-what?"

"Oh, do you know what a monkey is?"

"I've heard of them, Galka get called monkeys all the time as an insult, but then those same Humes go around and call their children that same word as a complement. I don't get it."

"There's nothing to get. Bigotry is bigotry. Anger may be a natural emotion born in all of us but hatred isn't and it has nothing to do with anger. It's nothing but a crutch for the weak minded and the fearful. That's why I like Adventuring."

"What does Adventuring have to do with it?" Zelig asks.

"It's dangerous work and your life depends on the person next to you. Even if you are prejudice at the beginning it either opens your mind and heart to the world or a person quits and leaves. Not everyone can tolerate this lifestyle, in all senses of the word. Don't get me wrong. There are jerks who give people a bad taste in their mouths when the say the word 'Adventurer' and basically good people who don't understand the jokes they think they're telling in good sport. But overall everyone's really nice." Bearstar turns her head and smiles at Zelig. She looks back up.

"Well I think that's enough goofing even for me," she says sitting up. She takes her feet out of the water and starts packing the garbage. Zelig sits up and offers to carry the picnic basket. She nods smiling. He notices a ring on Bearstar's finger as she hands him the basket.

"Isn't that on the wrong finger?"

"What?" she glances down at her hand, "Oh this old thing? I'm not married." She slips the mythril ring off her middle finger and hands it to Zelig, "Even in the future the stone causes quite a stir in Bastok, so I figured I should turn it around in the past."

He examines it. "Where you get this?" he asks slightly panicked.

"He gave it to me to hold on to a long time ago, but he said it wasn't a gift and I have to give it back to him so I have to stay alive." She takes it back and slips it back on her hand, "I remember when he gave this to me. All the other children at school teased us the next morning, but then Sage lost his temper. After he was expelled I taught him myself for awhile from my homework. Instead of playing, he was always at the library or practicing out on the savanna." She looks back up chuckling, "He still goes 'And boom goes the bunny' when he gets excited."

She sees his face, "You didn't know he had this did you?"

Zelig shakes his head, "How did he find it? It's been missing for years."

"He's had it the whole time, but don't worry. He didn't discover what this really is 'til well after he joined the fishing fleet after the war."

Zelig looks at the ground. "Yes… he did mention that…"

She puts her hands on her hips and leans over looking up at Zelig's face. "Hey don't be like that. We're here now." She smiles her big grin, "I've know Sage for years. Trust me, you'll have to listen to an annoying little Mithra calling you Zbigniew for years to come." She sticks out her tongue.

Zelig can't help but smirk.

"Good. That's more like it," she says standing up straight.

Suddenly, she snorts and covers her mouth with her palm.

"What is it?" he asks.

Bearstar looks at the ground chuckling then looks back up taking a deep breath, "I was thinking whether or not to warn you about my mother."

"What about your mother?" he asks.

She pauses for some time, but her words are written all over her face.

Zelig's face lights up, "Sounds like I have a challenging life ahead of me."

She puts her hands on her hips shaking her head smiling. Bearstar licks her canines, "You naive little fool."

Zelig shrugs, then leans forward. "My Zbigniew didn't raise me to be a fool," he smiles back.

She sticks her finger in his face, "Pride comes before the fall and the wisest people admit they know nothing. Did he also teach you that?"

"Yes he did actually," he says sarcastically, "He also taught me that being a nice guy and a wise guy are not mutually exclusive."

Bearstar gently slaps Zelig's face to his shock. "On behalf of my mother I accept your challenge," she says playfully. Then she puts a hand on each shoulder then jumps up kissing the cheek of the nine foot giant. "Mom's village has a Feast of Fools style holiday late summer. Watch your flanks on the ides of the eighth moon."

Zelig smiles, "Tell your mother the same for April first."

Bearstar shakes her head, "Trust me. You'll need the element of surprise."

Bearstar picks up her boots and walks barefoot over the dock to where the Blues are relaxing. For no apparent reason Bearstar starts humming a song and does a little ditty as she's walking. Blueice sees her coming and taps Bluegollum on the shoulder. By the time she walks over they have both stood up. Bearstar raises both her arms in the air holding a boot in each hand. "Come on! It's time to party now," she sings. "Da dum bum la tee dah" she dances to the rhythm then spins around.

"You really shouldn't be doing that without your ankle wrapped," Blueice says.

"You have an ankle wrap?" Zelig asks surprised.

The Blues both put their hands on their hips simultaneously and glare at her. "You trying to ruin what's left of your leg?" Bluegollum says.

Bearstar pulls a bandage wrap from her boot. "I have it right here. See, I just took it off inside my boot."

"Good, but you still shouldn't be doing that without it on," Blueice scolds again.

"I'll be fine for this little bit. Besides my feet are wet. I'll rewrap it when I dry them off."

"Fair enough," Blueice picks up her sleeping wyvern and they start to walk off the dock. "Will we be going home to get supplies?" she asks.

"Let's see what they have here first, we don't wanna do something too flashy do we?" Bearstar says.

"Good idea! Let's go find your mother's unit then," Zelig says.

Bluegollum is gathering his cloths, "Ah Goddess! They're still wet!" They hear him curse behind them.

Bluegollum says he needs to go and excuses himself from the group. He walks into an alley and casts Monomi: Ichi and Tonko: Ni. He makes his way to a forgotten part of the warehouse district. Making sure he's unseen, he drops the spells and does a rhythmic knock on a door. A peep hole opens and he gives a password. The door swings wide and reveals a lively but quiet storage room. It's in a bit of a frenzy as crates and barrels are being hurriedly raised and lowered through a hidden door in the ceiling. With the loud talking and banging coming from above it is obvious that they are somewhere below the main warehouses.

A Galka in monk's clothing resembling a red and black version of Temple attire is helping. He looks over and waves at Bluegollum. He excuses himself and they walk up to each other.

"How are things going Sage?"

Gamesage chuckles, "Why are you all wet?"

"My wife and I got in a fight and I ended up taking a swim."

He smiles, "I see. Came here to get away and dry off huh?"

"Yes, please."

Gamesage gets him a dry set of clothes and Bluegollum joins them moving boxes.

"You just missed all the fun."

"What you mean?" Gamesage asks.

"Well for one Icie made me apologize to your dad. And two, Major Viki's Copperheads are trying to put together a party for little Bearstar. We've gotten roped into it. Zelig, Bear and Icie just left to help out."

"Well with such a massive change to history we're at square one. Better just spoil little Bear as much as possible in case something happens to the one we know and love."

"But about you? You're just as messed up too. Telling Zelig about us…"

Suddenly a loud metallic clang breaks the silence. A rope has broken and a large steel lowering bucket lays bent up on the stone floor.

"What was that noise?!" a shout comes from above. The smugglers throw down a hidden rope tied to the rafters and swing down closing the trap door behind them. Everything comes to a halt.

The conversation can be heard between the Foreman and the City Guards above. The all clear is given after the Foreman distracts the soldiers.

Gamesage walks over as the floor boss examines the broken bucket. It's completely twisted above the support ring bent into the metal but the bottom is undamaged.

"We can't save this," the boss says, a Hume man in his mid twenties, "We'll have to melt it down to save the metal."

"May I see it?" Gamesage asks.

The boss nods.

Gamesage turns it upside down, puts his ear to the drum and taps it. "It has a good ring to it," he says pulling his head away, "Can I have it?"

"Why it's useless? Besides we need the metal."

"Cut it off at the support ring and give me the bottom. That's all I need. The Mithra are throwing a party for a dying child. I'd like the bottom to make a surprise."

"Sage are you crazy? You can't introduce an instrument like that suddenly out of nowhere. Especially one like that," Bluegollum says softy but firmly walking up.

Gamesage looks up, "I'm not introducing it out of nowhere. The Sahagin have had it for years now."

"No No No!" Bluegollum whispers making the cut motion across his neck.

An angry crowd gathers.

"You've had contact with those awful sea monsters?" one says.

"How do you know them well enough to have knowledge of their music let alone how to make their instruments?"

Bluegollum steps backward.

"And where do you think you're going?" a worker says as more block his escape.

Bluegollum turns and draws his katanas.

"Blue-G what are you doing?!" Gamesage jumps up and grabs his left arm.

"You're talking about that bell drum they make from garbage we trade them for seashells and fish?" It's the Foreman, a Hume in his fifties, his hair salt and pepper white and thinning in the front. He has come down the rope to yell at the work crew.

"Dad, why are you down here?" the boss says.

"None of you men have ever been to Norg have you?"

"What does that have to do with it?" a worker asks still enraged.

"Norg and the Sahagin have been living peacefully for generations. Norg herself is in Sea Serpents Grotto, their traditional holy shine, though many now follow the Goddess."

"Beastmen that worship Altana?" another worker says in disbelief.

"Yes they do," the Foreman says, "It wasn't 'til the Shadow Lord convinced them that our steamships were dangerous to the oceans that they have ever lifted a finger to any race, Enlightened or otherwise."

"That's a lot of bloody nonsense that steamships are dangerous. They're the pride of Bastok."

"Actually, it's the Goddess damn truth," he says turning to the worker who said it, "Those ships and the machinery on them mean that weight is no longer an obstacle to the fishing industry. They can drag larger nets and use fewer men. Those nets are monstrosities with their metal weights they kill everything indiscriminately from the ocean floor to the surface."

He pauses. "For a demon from the Northlands he sure knows all the darkest secrets from the hearts of Altana's children."

Bluegollum manages not to flinch but Gamesage looks away then down at the ground. He puts his hand over his mouth to hide his face.

The Foreman turns to his son, "Cut the bucket and give this Galka all the tools he asks for."

"Yes Father!" he says completely shocked. "The rest of you get back to work and watch the noise this time." The crowd disperses.

He turns to Gamesage and Bluegollum, "I heard everything you said about the girl. My family is one of the wealthier in Bastok. We are at your total disposal for this girl."

"Talk to the Copperhead squadron of Mithras. They are the ones planning the party, we're just helpers," Bluegollum says.

"Thank you. I'll have one of my Gofers track them down and give the message." He looks down at Gamesage, "The Sahagin bucket drums sound beautiful but are extremely primitive. I've never heard of anyone ever using one for real music before."

"I've done work as a Bard. I've experimented with them before. It'll work, trust me," Gamesage smiles.

"Jolly good, continue," he nods, then walks over to the dumbwaiter and climbs in the basket, "Ok boys take me up! I'm getting too old to climb anymore."

They pull on the rope and lift him though the trap door.

Gamesage stands and looks at Bluegollum."Now that you're in civilian clothes you can walk around more easily and help out better," he says, "I'm gonna stay here and make this work."

Bluegollum nods and leaves the room.

As word spreads through Bastok, women begin cooking special meals and children gather their toys. Teenagers and young adults spend time going through their good clothes and looking in mirrors. Men coming home ask about the commotion and then take longer baths than normal making extra sure to scrub every inch. Bards take their instruments out of their cases for the first time in almost a year and alchemists prepare small fireworks. Zelig informs his superiors and a warning is passed through the ranks:

The debacle from two weeks earlier will not be repeated.

Lord Narcisse D Evanglemagne paces angrily back and forth in front of his men as they sulk bitterly in the trees next to the Grauberg Guntower. Proud champion of San d'Oria and relative of the Papsque, he and his elite Temple Knight unit have been put under the control of Bastok as a peace offering to stabilize the alliance.

The humiliation is almost too much to bear.

His white hair glistens as bright as his Gallant armor in the speckled light. His wide cheekbones frame his piercing unfeeling eyes, and his expressionless mouth makes his chin look as sharp as a dagger. From his boots to his coronet, there is the air of well-bred arrogance. Walking back towards the tower he peeks out from the trees. The Humes and Galkas are gathered around the tower, well out of ear shot.

He punches a tree. "Damn her! Altana blesses us with a chance to bring her honor and glory in these intolerable conditions," he spins around and glares at his men, "and we can't even locate one worthless woman!"

A young knight, twenty at most, questions a fellow knight, "Are you positive you saw this heretic Bearstar?"

He stands up and speaks sternly with controlled rage in his voice, "Yes I know it was her. What other Mithra would be in possession of fraudulent robes! And besides all her known acquaintances are here in Bastok as well, the Galkan mage Gamesage and the Copperhead Mercenaries."

"I mean not to defile your honor, sir. I simply…" the young man starts.

"Watch your tongue to your superiors Myrmidon," Lord Narcisse snaps at the knight.

"Elder cousin, there is no need…" the young man begins to plea in the knight's defense.

Lord Narcisse angrily rushes towards him. The young man kneels and speaks with authority in his voice, "My apologies Lord Narcisse! I did not mean to discredit you with use of the childish familiar."

Lord Narcisse loosens his fist and stands directly in front of his much younger cousin. "You are no longer a boy Gwenael, you are a Temple Squire! You need to put aside your boyish nature and rise to your new role as Elder with honor."

"Yes Lord Narcisse."

Lord Narcisse unexpectedly puts his hand to his ear. "Yes, what is your report?" he seemingly says to himself. A ruffled voice is heard. Lord Narcisse smiles broadly. "Wait one moment." He takes a thin wire hook from behind his ear. It has a linkpearl attached. He holds it out and his men gather around. "All right then, start again from the beginning."

A voice comes from the pearl, "We have a report that the Copperheads are initiating festivities on behalf of a sickly child. We also have reports that the Galka Gamesage and an unidentified Mithra companion are involved with the preparations. The description leaves no doubt that it is Bearstar."

The last word brings untold excitement to the band of Elvaan. Some wiped their mouths, physically drooling from the bloodlust.

"Good work knight!" Lord Narcisse talks into the linkpearl.

"We also have another report to give."

"Alright then continue," Lord Narcisse says surprised.

"The unidentified Mithra has been seen in the company of an Elvaan man Ninja and a Hume woman Dragoon…"

Lord Narcisse grimaces at the word "Ninja".

The voice continues, "… witnesses say they are lovers. Also the Bastoker family paying for the expense is rumored to have strong ties with the Tenshodo."

Lord Narcisse's face metamorphoses into a vengeful monster, unrecognizable as an Elvaan. He clenches his fist almost crushing the pearl.

"Lord Narcisse, please be careful!" Squire Gwenael runs up, "You'll break the pearl!"

Lord Narcisse instinctively throws him to the ground.

"Lord Narcisse please calm down, it's me Gwenael! You remember? You're cousin… Please…please," he grovels on the ground bracing for a beating.

"What is going on here!" Everyone turns to see a Galka soldier standing sword drawn.

"Nothing! Nothing of any importance," says Squire Gwenael still lying on the ground.

"Good, then if you are all done taking your communal leak get back to the tower!" he yells and walks away.

Lord Narcisse turns back and stares down at his cousin. "Stand up Squire. I have a mission to give you."

"Yes Lord Narcisse!" he says scrambling to his feet.

"I am ordering you to steal one of the war chocobos and hurry back to Bastok. There you are to lead the men that are already there and apprehend that heretic this afternoon at this gathering. Remember she has already been convicted in absentia by Sacred Tribunal so although a public execution in San d'Oria would be preferred, her untimely death resisting arrest is a perfectly acceptable alternative, especially considering the fugitive's past exploits."

"Yes Lord Narcisse." Squire Gwenael salutes and walks off into the trees. The others return to the tower.

The young squire watches carefully. A group of knights distract the stable hands and a chocobo is muzzled and led from view. Squire Gwenael quickly mounts the bird and rides off through the brush. He carefully coaxes the chocobo down the two rushing streams into the valley below.

Suddenly he hears a shrill scream of a child, "Altana save me!" Squire Gwenael draws his sword and charges in. A hippogryph has pinned a little girl in a clump of flowers. She screams. The beast is so elated by its easy meal it completely drops its guard. A lay person would simply call it pure luck that they both survived, no more… no less.

The hippogryph lies dead, still twitching, on the ground. Squire Gwenael drops his sword. His face is pale but he is laughing, not out of pleasure of killing but the joy and shock of his life continued. After he catches himself, he dismounts the chocobo and tries it to a tree. "You can come out now child," he says kneeling down to pick up his sword. To his surprise a Mithra girl crawls out of the bushes, but no others. "Where is the child who screamed for salvation?"

"I screamed for Altana," says the little Mithra.

He rises with a perturb look on his face, "You shouldn't cry out to the Goddess unless you love her."

"Why wouldn't people love their mommy?" she asks confused.

The sincerity in her voice that only an innocent child can muster makes him realize what a rare beast he has stumbled upon. "Gather your things. The smell of blood will draw more monsters."

The little Mithra recoils in fear at the thought, "Ok, ok I'll hurry!" She starts to gather a large bundle of flowers larger than her.

"We don't have time for you to pick posies girl."

"These are _my_ flowers! You go if you're scared. I'll go home all by myself." She stomps her feet and sticks out her tongue at the frustrated knight.

Soldiers in the desert of Gustaberg turn their heads at the bizarre sight of a Temple Knight riding a chocobo with a gigantic unwieldy bouquet of flowers.

"Thank you for giving me a ride," a tiny voice comes from the bundle.

"Why were you alone in Grauberg?"

"It's my birthday. I was picking flowers for my mommy."

"It is very thoughtful of you to want to give your mommy flowers for her birthday but you shouldn't have left the city."

"No! It's not mommy's birthday. It's my birthday."

"Wait… It's _your_ birthday, and you are giving your mommy flowers?"

"Yep."

"You're a very thoughtful little girl, thinking about your mommy instead of yourself."

"I wanna make my mommy happy a big bunch so when I die she will still be happy forever and won't cry," she says joyfully with pride in her child's logic.

Squire Gwenael is caught off guard by the sudden change in topic. "What do you mean 'when you die'?"

"I'm sicky."

"Just because you…r…" he remembers his orders. "This can't be that child?" he thinks. "What's your mommy's name?"

"My mommy's name is Viki," she says proudly, "She bosses all my new Aunties around."

"Viki?!" he thinks startled. "And is she called 'the Forest Fang'? The crimson demon who wears the flesh of a murderer and the trophies of the dead?" he asks.

Squire Gwenael feels a small pulse of innocent child-like anger from deep inside him somewhere. "What was that?" he thinks.

"Na-ah! That's biggity big big lie! Even bigger than all my flowers," the bundle bounces. "My mommy wears her red clothes because two of her friends died fighting that scorpion. She wears its shell and their old Kote, Sune, and Cora Subiegar because they are filled with love. And with Altana as your armor no badness can touch it. Mommy's safer in that than all the shinny fancy stuff everyone else wears." The posies huff.

Squire Gwenael feels the twitch of rage lift like a weight from his heart. "Mommy loves red. That's why I picked so many red flowers. But if a flower was pretty and wasn't red I picked it too," the flowers giggle.

"This is the Copperheads' daughter! She _is_ the child," he thinks distraught.

"And you're that nice knight from Sandy. I saw you from the window."

"You were in San d'Oria?" he asks even more disturbed.

"Yep, your name's Gwen right? Mommy and I prayed for you before we goed to bed."

Squire Gwenael is on the verge of a panic attack. He tries to think of a topic to calm down. Suddenly little Star starts to sing. She is very off key like most children but nothing an adult would reprimand her for.

"From where to the wind blows, why does it rain, why does it snow, and why did Altana cry all those years ago? Was she happy, was she sad? Was she in pain or was she glad? Was it cloudy, was it light? Was there a rainbow or was it night? Just like each rain drop makes a flower, Altana's tears have magic powers. Every shape, every size, every smile, every color, every person in the world just like the posies in the fields. From where to the wind blows, why does it rain, why does it snow, and why did Altana cry all those years ago?"

The melody calms Squire Gwenael down as he listens to the simple words. As she begins to repeat herself, he asks "That's a pretty song. Where did you hear it?"

Little Star interrupts her singing briefly, "I made it up," then continues. As she repeats the little chorus over and over again, Squire Gwenael learns the words and starts to sing along.

"What the hell is that?" a Hume gate guard says.

"Looks like a Romeo overdoing it on the flowers," laughs a Galkan guard.

"Halt!" the Galka orders raising his hand as he steps into the road.

"Let us through," commands Squire Gwenael.

"Wait you're a Temple Knight!" the Hume says walking up, "This is a war not the time to give your girlfriend flowers!" he says angrily. He raises his arm pointing down the road, "Get back…"

"Na-ah. These are my flowers," a little voice says.

The two soldiers jump back surprised. Squire Gwenael smiles trying not to laugh, "I rescued this girl picking flowers on the battlefield. Please let me return her to her family." The soldiers think they can make out a little hand waving in the blossoms, "Hello" says the little voice. The Galka nods, "Proceed." They both move out of the way and they ride into the city.

As they dismount and make their way through town, children are unusually plentiful. Blankets are being spread over the ground with gabbing adults gathering over picnic dinners. Teenage boys are testing their courage and their pick up lines against giggling packs of young women. Excitement stirs through the gathering crowd as a local family troupe of Bards is spotted setting up.

"Oh my Goddess! Isn't this the most adorable thing in the world!" Major Viki holds up the little teddy bear high in the sunlight to get a good look. "Humes have such unusual minds. They can create the most barbaric weapons but can come up with things like this!" Major Viki lowers the bear and snuggles it against her cheek. "Oh I want one all for myself."

One of the other Mithras claps her hands, "I know! They are so cute. I want one too."

As they are all giggling like little school girls and congratulating one another, one Mithra stops and walks outside the group to look at something. "Um, Major Viki?" she says poking her on the shoulder.

"Yes?"

"There's a little walking bouquet headed in this direction."

They all turn to look at the advancing mass of flowers with a Temple Knight, carrying a large clump in his own right, walking behind her picking up the flowers she is dropping. There is a small panic as they hide the teddy bear behind their backs and pretend nothing is happening. They stand rigid straight trying unsuccessfully not to giggle and some quickly fix their hair.

Major Viki walks up to the bundle of flowers and kneels down. "Well what do we have here?" she questions the bundle, "Do we have a little Lycopodium?"

"No," says the little bundle, but nothing else.

"You look too pretty to be a nasty Mandragora. You're not a nasty Mandragora are you?"

"No," the bundle giggles.

Major Viki claps her hands once, "Well I give up! What are you little talking flowers?"

"It's me Mommy!" Star jumps up and down triumphantly having tricked her mother.

Major Viki puts her hands on her cheeks in feign surprise with a large gapping mouth. "It's you?! Is my little girl hiding in all those pretty flowers?"

"Yes," Star's uncontrolled giggling almost drowns out her word.

"Here are the rest of your flowers Major Viki," Squire Gwenael steps forward and presents her with the remaining blossoms.

Major Viki stands up and takes her flowers, "Thank you."

"Mommy you remember Squirrel Gwen don't you?" says the clump of posies.

All the Mithras, not just Major Viki, turn stone sober.

"Yes…yes I do… so what are you doing here in Bastok?" she says trying to be civil.

"My unit has been sent to aid Bastok." He quickly adds, "I rescued your daughter in Grauberg. We just arrived in the city."

Major Viki in paralyzed fear drops her flowers.

"Mommy!" Star gently puts her flowers down and starts to put her dropped flowers in the pile. For the first time she sees her daughter clearly. Her clothes are torn and her fur is severely ruffled. Major Viki starts jumping up and down waving her arms frantically as if she had just seen a spider. Her face looks like she's screaming but no sound comes from her mouth. She finally throws herself at her daughter, hugging her tight, licking her hand and rubbing it frantically over her fur. Star struggles, "Mommy what are you doing?"

"Think I should leave you two alone," Squire Gwenael says. He walks away.

A decent sized crowd gathers around the Bards. They are clapping along. Several young couples start to dance and the crowd backs up giving them room. Unexpectedly an old man drags his wife into the gap. Cheers start as he starts to dance very hilariously. His poor wife can only stand there face in her hands, bright red, peaking through her fingers to see what he's doing, and shaking her head periodically. She tries to sneak back into the anonymity of the crowd but the people in front push her back in. Her goofy husband walks up and extends his hand. It's hard to hear the brief argument over the cheers of encouragement but ultimately the crowd erupts as she finally takes his hand and is led into center stage head down in shame. The crowd laughs as she mouths "I hate you" when they put their hands together and put their arms around each others' waist. Somewhere in the crowd someone whistles. She buries her face in his shirt trying to hide.

Suddenly there is a commotion as someone tries to force themselves through the crowd. A Temple Knight charges into the gap and runs into the elderly couple knocking the woman on her butt. He glances briefly to see if she's ok, then plunges back into the crowd. As he rounds the corner of Freidrich Battery Circle, he almost ploughs over a group of children carrying boating ropes coming from Port. He comes to the chapel and leans on the door hyperventilating. He then walks in, lowers his hood exposing his shaggy scarlet hair and brilliant green eyes, staggers up, then collapses at the feet of the Goddess' statue. He prostrates himself and starts to cry. A priest deep in meditated prayer rushes to him startled by the sight.

Back in Freidrich Battery Circle, the children find a place by themselves, lay out their ropes, and begin to jump. Two of the older boys stand on each end twirling the rope while the other children take turns jumping in the center.

Drogo comes up the steps from Mines carrying a brown paper wrapped package.

"Doggie!" little Icie screams and takes off across the circle before the other kids can grab her. They begin to chase after her and see Drogo waving at them.

"Gamesage!" they stop running after her and join the mad rush to meet him.

"Hey you made it to the party," one of the older boys says.

"What's that smell?" asks a girl waving her hand in front of her nose.

Drogo holds the package in front of him and looks down at it, "Sorry, I've been busy trying to find a nice thing for a present."

"That doesn't explain the smell," she says.

Icie tugs on Drogo's arm, "Come jump with us."

"Jump?"

"You've never jumped rope before?" Ceddie asks.

Drogo shakes his head, "No, but I've seen pictures in books."

"Then come on then let's go," one of the boys who twirled the ropes says pushing him forward. They all run back over laughing, including Drogo, and start jumping again.

For some reason Star stops struggling as her mother licks her frantically.

"Mommy look at that!" she says suddenly pointing, "What are they doing?"

Major Viki looks over where she is pointing and sees the children jumping rope. "I don't know sweetie."

"It looks like fun Mommy! Can we go over?"

Major Viki stands up and takes Star by the hand, "Of course."

They take a few steps before Star drags her mother's hand backwards, "Oh Mommy, your flowers."

"It's ok I've got them," a Mithra says stepping forward to pick up the pile of flowers.

"I've got them too," says another.

There is a small rush as the Copperhead girls scuffle over the right to carry the flowers. Major Viki giggles at the sight.

"Big Kitties!" Icie runs off again.

"Icie come back!" several children yell after her but become paralyzed at the sight of Icie's "big kitties".

"Wow look at that," says one of the older girls.

"Are they Beastmen?" a boy asks frightened.

"No they're Mithra," Drogo says excitedly, "They're one of us." Drogo runs forward, turns around and waves his arm, "Come on let's go!"

The children walk over more cautiously than when they ran to Drogo.

Icie reaches them first. She stops in front of Star. "Wow, you a big kitty. Are you a pretty kitty?" she tries to pet Star's head.

Star hits her hand away. "Hey what do you think you're doing!"

Icie jumps back startled, "You talk?!"

Drogo arrives next and pulls Icie over to him, "Icie these aren't kitties. They are people just like you and me. They just look like kitties."

Icie studies Star intensely, "Are you a people?"

"Of course I'm a person! Why wouldn't I be?!" Star says offended.

"Bearstar calm down. You had the same reaction when you saw Tarutarus for the first time a few months ago. Just like you've never seen a Taru or an Elvaan or a Hume before, they have never seen a Mithra before either."

Star suddenly smiles broadly as she looks behind them. "Hey you have a tail too!" she says excitedly.

"Yes, I'm a Galka. We have tails too just like you do."

He extends his hand formally, "My real name is Drogo but my nick-name is Gamesage. Pleased to meet you." Bearstar looks confused but then extends her arm, "I'm Bearstar."

When Drogo goes to grab her hand she pulls it back. Drogo looks shocked, "Hey didn't you wanna shake hands?"

"What's shaking hands?" Major Viki asks.

Drogo can't hide the shock on his face, "Oh… well… shaking hands is a way to say hello." Drogo puts his hands together to demonstrate, "Like this."

Major Viki smiles and extends her hand, "I am Major Viki, commanding officer of the Copperhead Mercenaries."

Drogo takes her hand, "Pleased to meet you."

She nods, "Pleased to meet you," she repeats.

The other Mithras walk up as the other children catch up with Drogo. The children all stand silently gawking at the strange sight. Some of the Mithras get mad and start to bare their teeth. "Hey what do you think you're staring at?" one growls pointing at the kids.

The flood gates open.

"Why are you naked?"

"Why do you have paint all over you?"

"You don't look old, why is your hair whiter than my Grammy's?"

"Why do you have bones hanging off your clothes like monsters? You don't eat children do you?!"

"You have big teeth! You're not vampires are you?"

"Girls stand down!" Major Viki yells turning to the women, "Don't scare them or their generation will be just as ignorant as the last. They are just children."

"Hey but about you guys?" Star says angrily pointing back, "You're skin is lily white. How do we know that _you're_ not vampires!" she accuses back.

"Hey that's mean!" an older girl shouts.

"So are you!" Star shouts back.

"Alright that's enough!" Drogo steps in between, arms extended, palms out facing each group. "Stop this now! Everyone is just people! We all look different but we are all people here!"

Star turns her back to the other kids, turning her nose up and crossing her arms. "Humph! I was gonna let you play at my birthday party but you guys are meanies," she fumes.

Drogo turns around facing Star, "Wait you're the birthday girl?"

"Yes this is my sweetie's fifth birthday party," Major Viki says. She tries to turn Star around to present her but Star stubbornly refuses.

"I have a present for you! Let me go get it!"

Star turns around and claps her hands. "You got me a present?" she asks excitedly.

Drogo nods and runs back to the ropes. He comes back carrying the brown package. Star claws the paper to shreds. It's a book. In Star's excitement and Drogo's pride they don't notice Major Viki's look of terror and the abhorrent grimaces of rage on the other Mithras.

"What are these dots and lines?" she asks pointing at the pages.

"Those are notes. This is a music book," he says.

She begins to read the words, "Al-tan-a, Altana." Star looks up at her mother smiling, "Mommy look! This…" she starts excitedly.

Major Viki rips the children's hymnal from her hands and tears it into confetti. Before anyone can react, a Mithra storms forward and tries to shove Drogo to the ground but is surprised by how sturdy the child is. Instinctively, Drogo grabs her arm and throws her to the ground like a well-trained soldier. She screams as he twists and crushes it in his hands. She is terrified by the look of a blood-thirsty demon in his face as she stares into his eyes. The Hume children scream.

"How dare you!" yells a Mithra as she and a few others start to run forward to protect their comrade. That same Mithra suddenly finds herself looking at the sky with a blade to her neck. The other Mithras stop in their tracks as they see their Major drop kick her, draw both her swords and hold the edge of one to her neck while pointing the other at the rest of them in one fluid move.  
"That's enough! It's over! Stop it now! He's only a babe! You should be ashamed of yourselves!" But what really stops them in their tracks is her eyes. They are as crazed as Drogo's.

Star starts to wail in the remains of her book. Drogo hears Star's crying and regains control of his body. He lets go. Major Viki also calms down and lifts her sword. The two terrified Mithras crawl back to the rest of the women.

Hume soldiers come running up, "What's happening here!" demands the ranking officer.

Major Viki sheathes one of her blades, "It's over Officer. I've handled it."

"That's not an answer!"

Major Viki walks over to him and looks him in the eyes. "Some people have no patients towards children. I have ended this. No child will be slapped or spanked in my presents."

The soldier swallows nervously. The crazed look has still not fully left Major Viki's eyes.

He turns to survey the scene. The Hume children are huddled around a Galka child who is luridly pale staring at his hands in terror. A Mithra girl is bawling in a pile of paper with a group of Mercenaries holding flowers trying to calm her down while others are huddled around two Mithras that seem to have minor injuries.

He walks over to the children. "Is this situation over?" he asks with his hand on his hilt.

Ceddie stands up and confronts the soldier. "Yes this is over. No one is going to try to hit us again." He turns to the Mithras and sticks out his tongue.

The officer turns to watch their reaction and sees them tremble at the sight of Major Viki walking in between them and the boy taping the flat of her sword in her hand.

He walks over to Major Viki, "Very well then." He walks over to his men and they leave.

Major Viki points her sword at her girls, "If anyone can't keep their tempers and play nice then I order you to leave at once. I will not have any more disruptions of my baby's party!"

The two Mithras and sixteen others turn and start to walk away. Many others hesitate but remain. About twenty or so don't even flinch. Many of them are the ones who fought over the flowers.

One Mithra walks up to Major Viki. She looks like her, but is much taller with shaggy, almost uncontrolled hair, like a lion's mane tied away from her face with a bandana. "You're being unusually self-righteous sister considering you're the one who destroyed the hymnal."

"If you have something to say Arenk then accuse me to my face instead of slithering in the shadows," she retorts back angrily.

Arenk smiles in a cruel arrogance and turns to walk over to Star. The others make way as she kneels down. She kisses Star on the forehead. She whimpers and looks up at her aunt. She runs her fingers through Star's hair, "Don't worry child, I will make sure you become a strong, _pure_ Mithra. No one will harm you, body or soul." She stands up and walks away with the others.

Major Viki's knees hit the ground in exhaustion. Her sigh is unmistakably one of despair. She puts her face in her hands and starts to weep. The children, including Drogo having now regained some sense of normalcy, come over to her.

"I'm sorry children, I'm so sorry."

"It's ok, you defended us. That's all that matters," Ceddie says.

"If you didn't like the book you could have just said something," Drogo asks confused, "You didn't have to be so mean about it."

"I'm sorry boy. You're right. I shouldn't have done that."

Suddenly Star starts to cough heavily. Everyone runs over.

"What's wrong?" Major Viki asks scared.

"Something smells bad," she coughs.

Major Viki begins to cough softly too. One of the Mithras sniffs the torn paper on the ground. "This book smells like smoke?" she says turning to Drogo.

"That because it survived the fire when the Sahagins attacked Port a few weeks ago."

"Wait," one of the older girls asks, "All the books that were damaged in the warehouses were all thrown away. How did you get a hold of one before they were taken to the dump?"

Major Viki studies Drogo. His clothes are torn and tattered, in some places looking more like a fishing net than cloth. Though they have no visible surface dirt on them, his clothes are grimy and smelly. Drogo's skin is rubbed raw in places revealing a checkered tan, some areas looking like they have never seen the sun before in his entire life. The hair that is showing through his worn cap is greasy and smells a whiff of mold but is combed neatly.

Major Viki smiles meekly trying not to cry as she sees the truth. She hugs Drogo tight, "It's ok baby. You don't have to worry about getting another book."

She stands up and picks up her daughter, "The smell of the smoke is making her cough. Let's move somewhere else."

"Yes let's go back to the jumping ropes," one of the boys says.

As they walk away Drogo comes up to Major Viki, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know," he whimpers.

Major Viki pats his head lovingly, "It's ok baby, don't worry about it anymore." They walk side by side with her carrying Star, still coughing, over to the ropes.

"Mommy can I get down now?" Star asks.

Seeing she's stopped coughing, her mother puts her down. She walks over to one of the Mithras holding her flowers, "Can I have my flowers back?"

"Of course," she bends down and gives them to her.

As Star finds a place to sit down next to her posies the other Mithras come over and give her the remaining flowers. She begins to strip the leaves of the stalks and arrange them by length and color.

Icie walks over, "Wha ya doin'?"

"You'll see."

"Can I have a fowa?" she asks.

"Umm," Star looks around. She finds and gives her a short one with a broken stalk. Icie claps her hands excitedly and runs over to her brother to show it off.

"Can we try double Dutch?" Drogo asks after a time.

The boys stop twirling the ropes. "What's double Dutch?" one asks.

"It's where you use two ropes instead of one," he answers, "I've seen it in books."

"Sounds like fun," a young girl says.

"Sure we have extra ropes," a twirler nods.

Drogo shows them how to twirl two ropes at once and they begin again, but the children keep tripping over the second rope.

"Ok I was wrong this isn't fun anymore," whines the girl after tripping on the rope again.

"Gamesage this was your idea why don't you try it?" one of the boys holding the ropes says.

Drogo nods and steps inside the ropes. He finds the rhythm quickly and stomps away. Some of the children fume out of jealousy but most clap and cheer him on. The twirlers pick up the speed trying to trip him up but he makes it easily each time. Suddenly he stops on his own and lets the ropes hit his legs. He smiles as he looks at his cheering friends. The Mithras are all clapping too.

"You're quite the agile young man," Major Viki says.

"Thank you," he says panting.

She stands up and walks over to the boys, "May I try it?"

"But you a grown up?" one says.

"Just lengthen out the ropes some more so it will go over her head. She's not that much taller," Drogo says.

Major Viki puts her hands on her hips and glares at Drogo.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asks nervously.

"Just swing the ropes," she orders annoyed as she steps in between.

Major Viki soon also finds the rhythm. Then she claps her hands and spins around. She starts to thrash and sing inside the ropes. The children realize that she is doing some type of weird dance when the other Mithras begin to clap and sing along. Suddenly another Mithra jumps in and begins to dance as well. They stomp their feet and clap their hands together like in a children's game. Then a third Mithra tries a summersault over one of the boys into the ropes but this startles him and he breaks rhythm. Two Mithras come up to the boys and ask for the ropes. The boys stand back with the other children and they begin again.

A small crowd begins to gather although most are still dancing with the Bards. They cheer with the children when one of the Mithra twirlers kneels down and the woman tries her summersault again. A young man in the group calls his friends into a huddle then they all walk off hurriedly together.

Major Viki jumps out of the ropes and another Mithra replaces her. "How did you like that sweetie?" she says looking down at her baby.

Star looks up from her flowers. "What? I wasn't looking."

Major Viki hangs her arms to her sides, looks at the ground and sighs dejected. Star stands up and holds a clump of flowers under her mother's face, "Mommy I'm done making this for you!"

She kneels down to take a closer look, "What's this?"

Star only giggles.

A Mithra pokes Major Viki on the shoulder. "What is it?" she says standing up.

She points towards the seawall. Major Viki turns and looks. A Galka Monk dressed in a red and black armor pulling a two-wheeled hand cart stacked with large picnic baskets, a Mithra in ceremonial dress and an Elvaan in full Culinarian splendor also carrying large baskets have just made their way up the steps into the Circle. The Mithra seeing Major Viki looking at them waves excitedly.

Major Viki runs over, "Oh my Goodness, is this the food?"

"Yes this is all the food. I hope you appreciate all the labor involved," the Elvaan says condescendingly.

"Blue-G that's not nice," Gamesage says, "Can someone help me with the kickstand?"

Major Viki walks to the back of the cart, "Is this it?" she asks pointing at two blocks of wood hinged to the rear door.

"Yep that's them," Bearstar says putting her basket down to help.

They put the bracing down and Gamesage lets go of the handles and lets the cart's weight rest on the kickstand. He crawls out from under the handlebars and leans up against the seawall, "I… hate… those… steps," he pants.

Major Viki suddenly starts to cry and hugs Bearstar. "Bear I'm so sorry about earlier. I thought you were dead then I saw you with the soldier I…" she whimpers.

Bearstar cling back even harder, "It's ok. I almost do the same thing every time I see you too."

Major Viki puts her hands on Bearstar's cheeks, "You're so beautiful I didn't even recognize you."

"You have no idea," Bearstar whimpers back.

"How did you survive?"

"Please don't think less of me…" Bearstar looks at the ground, "but I have friends in the Tenshodo. They saved me."

Major Viki looks at Bluegollum, "But I thought you said…"

"You got the wrong person." She turns around and sees Gamesage with his arm raised. "It's me," he says still hyperventilating. Major Viki looks shocked.

"Please don't think badly of him," Bearstar pleads, "Gamesage needed to join the Tenshodo to gain access to the ancient ruins they control to continue his magical training and research. It's just standard practice for high level mages."

"Have the ends justified the means?" she asks looking down at him.

"Yes… To serve the goddesses and gods of Vana'diel… I'll gladly enter the darkness… to bring lasting peace to this world," he says standing up.

"Hey Major Viki?"

She turns back around to Bearstar.

"I have a surprise for you. Can we go over to the barracks so I can give it to you?"

"You didn't have to get me a present. It's my baby's birthday, not mine."

"I'm sure little Star will enjoy this too," Bearstar says eagerly.

"Alright then, let's go." The two walk off together.

In the chapel, the elderly priest finally calms Squire Gwenael down enough so he can make sense of his words.

"It's alright child, please calm down. Confess to me your troubles," the priest gently pleads with his arm hugging around Squire Gwenael's back and his other hand clutching his.

"Forgive me father, for I fear I'm about to sin," he whimpers.

"About to? What troubles you?"

"I'm under orders from the Papsque himself to kill a heretic. This person has revealed herself in Bastok."

"You are having difficulty taking her life?"

"There are mitigating circumstances," he says trying to justify his emotion.

"Then tell me child."

"I am to take her during today's birthday gathering, in front of the children. I just can't bring myself to do it, not to that little angel. I don't want to be responsible for driving her from the arms of the Goddess."

"As difficult as this is the child will…"

"The babe is a Mithra! Both her and her mother are Altanan," he interrupts.

The priest has a shocked but happy look on his face. He claps his hands together, "Oh Bless Altana for Justifying their souls onto Her!"

"But the heretic herself is also a Mithra and a close friend of the family," Squire Gwenael adds.

The priest looks at the ground seeing the problem.

"I rescued the little girl today in Grauberg picking flowers for her mother. She is deathly ill. If she is driven from Altana she may not live long enough to bring her back."

"She is the sickly girl who's birthday is today?"

Squire Gwenael nods sniffling.

"I have been praying for her since I became aware of this," the priest says solemnly.

Squire Gwenael continues, "You should meet this little girl, Father. It's as if she was born with Holy Scripture written on her heart. She speaks with such ease but has no idea of her thoughts true origin."

"Not that all children need protecting, but she must be a special young girl for you to contemplate disobeying the Papsque," he looks up from the ground at Squire Gwenael. "You do understand the consequences if you disobey him?"

Squire Gwenael nods, "I've fought for the Goddess and country for what seems like an eternity, but I've never been frightened like this before."

"I do not envy your position, but I can not tell you what to do," the priest says, "You will have to decide for yourself which is a greater service to Altana, bringing justice to this heretic or giving joy to a dying child."

Squire Gwenael nods. He stands up and shakily makes his way to the door.

As Squire Gwenael reenters Freidrich Battery Circle, clapping and cheering echo through the crowd as a local Hume dance troupe approaches the Bards. Among the dancers is the group of friends that had watched the Mithras. The Bards stop playing as they walk up. After a quick conversation the Bards start a brand new song. Although not the best troupe in the world, the crowd enjoys the show.

Gamesage is in the crowd clapping, but suddenly freezes in position like in a children's game. He then walks away towards the barracks saying "Excuse me" over and over again as he squeezes, as much as a Galka can, through the crowd.

The teenagers that were dancing to the musicians before now move to the rear of the crowd and begin again. About twenty minutes later, they witness such an unbelievable sight that they stop their revelry cold and dash back into the crowd pointing. As the commotion moves through the crowd the Dancers and Bards stop and try to see what is happening. A hulking Galka, dressed in dancer attire approaches the crowd. Unlike the traditional red, black and gold, his is a never before seen combination of sterling blue, white and silver.

The leaders of the Bards and the dance troupe walk up to meet him.

"I've never seen a Galkan Dancer before," the lead Bard says, a woman in her mid thirties.

"That's a rather interesting set of rags you have there," the lead Dancer says condescendingly, an arrogant young man barely in his twenties.

"These 'rags' as you put it were very hard to get by the way," Gamesage answers scowling.

"You shouldn't say things like that," the Bard interjects. She turns to Gamesage, "I think those clothes are beautiful." Gamesage nods in approval. "I've always loved the color blue," she adds.

"May I join the performance?" he asks.

"What?! Are you crazy?" the Dancer says angrily, "As if I'd allow a graceless Galka to spoil my performance."

"Oh get your head out of your tights young man and let him dance," the Bard says, "He's obviously gone to a lot of trouble to come here."

The Dancer glares at the Bard. "And besides, even you would have to admit that this should be interesting to watch."

"Like fu-"

"Look you," she interrupts the next word, "either you let him dance or we pack up and move elsewhere."

The Dancer, too proud to admit defeat, turns to Gamesage. "You can dance, but don't think we will accompany you," he says annoyed, "This is a solo performance."

"I expected as much," he snaps back.

They walk back to the others and explain the situation. As the Dancers move aside, Gamesage walks up to a mix of boos, jeers and laughter from the crowd. The commotion draws the attention of soldiers on police duty. It is Zelig's unit.

The sight of the armed guards calms the crowd and they all turn to watch quietly. The Bards raise their instruments and begin to play. Gamesage starts to dance. First a string of jigs, then a waltz, followed by a few sambas. By the time he crescendos with a set of flourishes there is cheering and clapping from most of the crowd.

Word of the Galka Dancer spreads and the crowd expands exponentially as Humes jostle to see. Parents hoist their small children on their shoulders and older ones sneak through the legs of the adults to get upfront. Many Galkas too now joint the crowd to catch a glimpse of this unusual display from one of their brethren.

As animosity begins to overflow through the crowd more solders come, including Zelig. Zelig goes bug-eyed at first when he recognizes Gamesage, but his shock is soon overwhelmed by the broad gaping smile devouring his face. He soon joins much of the crowd and many of the soldiers, in spite orders to the contrary, in clapping along.

A few steps away from Zelig, a group of Humes are laughing and pointing at Gamesage, but not in an approving way. Like many others in the crowd, it is a blatantly bigoted laughter and their gossiping among themselves only makes their intent even more obvious. A group of three Galkas are close by. The enjoyment on their face has given way to blind anger forced to listen to the Humes standing in front of them. Suddenly one rushes forward. Zelig and the others try to jump in but they are too late.

The Galka is lying on the ground, face towards the sky. Not knowing what hit him he tries to lean up, but a leather moccasin on his neck prevents him. He looks up at his aggressor. It's a Mithra, dressed like a regal queen with a crown of braided flowers in her hair adjunct to her jewelry.

"I heard the whole thing," she says, "and I sympathize. But this isn't the time or place. This is a child's birthday party after all."

She takes her foot off his neck and he leans up. His friends help him to his feet as Zelig and the other soldiers arrive on the scene. They try to arrest him but the Mithra intervenes. At first glance the Mithra is Bearstar but the snarl on her face and the deep authority in her voice gives her true identity away — if her height did not already.

"Look nothing happened, and besides if anyone should be arrested it should be me for attacking an unarmed man."

"Since when does a Galka need to be armed?" retorts a Hume soldier.

A good deal of the crowd is distracted now but Gamesage keeps dancing. Hoping to defuse the crowd he steps the difficulty up a few notches and very quickly most of the people turn back to watch.

The obnoxious Humes that started everything have turned around and joined the argument, prodding the soldiers to arrest not just the Galka that charged them but the ones that helped him up.

"But we've done nothing!" one of the Galkas begs.

"Don't give me that!" shouts a middle aged Hume with a peppering beard, "It's against the law for more than two Galkas to stand within a fifteen-foot radius. All of you need to be locked up."

"He is correct in quoting the law," the ranking officer says.

"That's absurd!" the Mithra says, "Under that logic the Dancer," she points towards him through the crowd, "needs to be arrested too."

"Actually that's a wonderful idea. Why didn't I think of that," he says excitedly.

Zelig watches the Mithra's eyes burn with the fury of a wildfire. "And why's that?" she asks moving from in-between the soldiers and the Galkas to face the civilian Humes. She positions herself in front of the man with the graying beard, the obvious leader of the group.

"This was a quiet gathering until that mine-mule came," he begins boasting, "Now look at it." He waves his arms gesturing to the greater crowd, "I'm sure this has grown beyond any permits. Legally this is a riot."

The immediate members of the crowd begin the clap and cheer.

"This is a peaceful birthday party for a dying girl," the Mithra fumes, "Not a riot. These people came here for the love of a child."

The Hume laughs, "I've done no such thing. I came here to do business. And ask any of these people here and they'll tell you the same. It's been months since Bastok was put under lock down. A little fresh air does the body and the pocketbook good."

"You are right again," the ranking officer says, "Legally this gathering constitutes a riot, and that performer is its provoker."

Instead of lashing out as she had done previously, the Mithra's ear twitches towards the soldier but keeps her eyes to the man. Her face turns frighteningly calm and her breathing studies. Zelig recognizes the face of a skilled pole fisherman as she adjusts her stance. The water would not have even rippled as she shifted her feet. Only the movement of her ears give her away as not a statue. She is perfectly still… save moving her right hand over her heart.

The Hume and the soldier continue talking almost forgetting the Mithra. The slurs fly between them intermittent with chuckles. Even some of the Hume soldiers begin to squirm at the language. But the murmuring falls silent when Zelig comes forward and stands in front of the prisoners facing his superior. Everyone who recognizes him is shocked beyond belief that this quiet, gentle, unassuming, peaceful man would step forward and of all things step between the prisoners and the ranking officer were the Mithra had stood before. But to everyone else he is just another nameless Galka and barely registers a glance from the other Humes.

"And tell me," he continues, "Why would any self-respecting Hume troupe would surrender their place to a smelly Rat?" he asks rhetorically to the growing spectators raising his hands in the air as he turns around to the encouragement of the crowd.

"Yea! Hang them all from their precious bridge!" a shout comes from the crowd.

"No man would ever surrender to a rat!" a frightened woman takes her shawl and brings it close to her neck, "He and his thugs must have threatened their poor children's lives!"

The officer turns to the woman and nods. Zelig's face twists in preparation to scream. But before the order can be given and Zelig can react…

"Well I must agree with you on that point," the Mithra says wistfully, "Of all the aromas I've encountered over my long journey nothing quite matches up to the smell of a Galka."

"Well I see we have a smart kitten here," the Hume smiles.

"You seem very intelligent yourself handsome," she flirts, "How do you know so much of Bastok law?"

"I'm a lawyer little missy." She turns to the officer, "You two look and sound so much alike… Are you related by any chance?"

"Yes this is my elder brother," the officer says.

"I was just thinking that," she smiles.

Zelig watches a young freckled soldier sneak away then run off once he has made sure he went unnoticed by his superior. He soon comes back with ten more soldiers, one with officer stripes ranking several tiers higher than the younger brother. That officer waves for his attendants to stay back hushing the young man when he protests. Then he crosses his arms and observes. At first it is obvious he thinks he is wasting his time, but as the conversation drags on his face sours more and more.

They go unnoticed by the chatting men. As the Mithra acts coy with the two brothers and their associates, she turns innocently towards Zelig. She licks her canines as they exchange glances, then laughs with the joy of an hyena at the kill.

She turns back to the men and snuggles up to the elder brother, "I like you." She plays with his beard, "You're funny." She lifts her tail and tickles his brother under his helmet strap. "You're funny too," the Mithra glances back over her shoulder. "Tell me more of this? What is to be done to these creatures?"

"What does she think she's doing?" the Galka she floored says angrily.

Zelig puts his arm up in front of him. "Just calm down and watch," he says softly trying not to give anything away. An old seadog, he knows a baited trap when he sees one.

"Humph!" the woman turns her nose up at the Mithra, "So what they say of their race is true…"

"That would depend on the crime committed," the eldest says. He then rubs his chin, "Hmm… I actually did not think about that. There is quite a bit a wiggle room here." He turns to the crowd, "Especially with all these witnesses here." He raises his voice, "What do you say folks? Want to help with a Rat-Roundup?"

Cheers grow as more people turn from the crowd. Soon three or four rows have turned and joined the chorus of eager volunteers.

Zelig glances at the ranking officer. He sees him uncross his arms, puts one hand on his belt and leans his other on the hilt of his sword. His feet shift unconsciously as he emotionally prepares to draw.

"She's got him!" Zelig thinks. Even without seeing Zelig's face, the Mithra's sadistic grin turns to a board smile at the same moment. But at this point, there is no need to prod the Hume brothers more. The snowball had begun to roll on its own some time ago.

The free consultation lasts several minutes as one Hume after another offers sacrifices to the altar.

"I have three mules that have been yawning in the morning," a man says in the crowd, "Lazy bums. They only work sixteen hour days. Most of my Humes work eighteen."

"Theft sounds like a good option," the elder brother says, "But don't make it one large object. Make it several of whatever they work on right before they leave. That way it looks like a crime of opportunity. Just make sure the total value equals Grand Theft, about fifty bynes. In the future, if you have any Humes giving you problems remember that the limit for Humes is three hundred."

"I don't allow them to work on anything of real value," he answers, "Even at fifty it will take some time."

"Then change their schedules," the elder says, "It will give motive for aberrant behavior. And they will think they're getting a promotion."

"Good point," the man takes a thinking pose, "Why didn't I think of that."

"Anyone else other than these seven men?" the younger asks glancing about. No one responds.

He nods and turns to his brother, "All right then, hand out the business cards." "And remember," he says as people begin to eagerly jostle around his elder brother, "Myself and my men will be the police responding. If you do not recognize me then don't let the others in. We'll handle the evidence so you won't have to do a thing."

After finishing handing out his cards the elder brother counts what are left. "Sixteen out of forty. I'm going to have to send a servant to get more." He points towards Gamesage, "Go grab that rat while I procure more cards."

The younger brother nods and waves his men forward. "Arrest that Galka," he orders.

"Alright I've heard enough!" the officer says walking forward with his attendants. He walks up to the man and grabs his arm, "You're under arrest for inciting a riot."

He turns to the younger brother, "And you're relieved of duty! Take him too." The other soldiers move into the angry mob, scuffling with some of the men but the swords stall the rage of the greater crowd. Those that have their wits about them try to toss the cards on the ground without being noticed — getting rid of the evidence.

"What is this all about?!" the younger brother shouts being pushed to his knees.

"Conspiracy and abuse of power," the officer says walking in front of him, "Galkas or not. I cannot let this pass."

"Hey why aren't you arresting her too!" the elder brother shouts.

The Mithra holds up her hands and feigns innocence, "I didn't actually _say_ anything now did I? You did this completely on your own."

His face briefly turns blank with shock when he realizes his mistake.

"Arrogance may not be the link associated with your race but it has been your downfall." She waves. "Bye bye. Enjoy your time in prison," she mocks.

He starts to scream in rage. "You fu-," a strong tug from the soldiers cuts off the last syllable, "feline! You would love the rats wouldn't you!"

"You're dead! You hear me!" one of his friends shouts being dragged off, "You're getting thrown in a bag and tossed over Draken Falls!"

After eleven men and six soldiers are taken away, the Galka walks up to her. "Thank you."

She nods, "Always, now please watch your temper. You don't want to lower yourself to their level and ultimately become nothing more than what you hate."

The Galka has a stunned look on his face, "I've never thought about things like that."

"You sound just like Gumbah and Werei," one of his friends says.

She turns to him, "Then they sound like very smart men. You should listen to them."

The three Galkas turn to each other and nod. "Are we free to go?" the other friend asks the soldiers.

They all nod. "Yes you are free to go," Zelig says. The three Galkas leave and find a new place in the crowd to stand away from where the commotion was.

"You have threaded the needle quite artfully ma'am," the new officer says, "But I'm still tempted to arrest you for Provocation. I assume from your race you are one of the Windurstian soldiers?"

Major Viki smiles, "Yes, my sword belt is no illusion. I am Major Viki of the Copperhead Mercenaries, given to Bastok as a gift from Windurst."

"A Major?" he says surprised.

"Yes, I assume from my time serving the Alliance that the punishment for threatening to kill a warrior is quite severe?"

"This fact does not persuade the act of provocation Major. Give me one good reason you should not be arrested as well," he stresses again.

Major Viki glares up at him, eyeball to eyeball. She also puts her hand on her heart. "I am a skilled interrogator. My record will be with my paperwork. But creatures like that need no effort to loosen their lips. Their forked tongues spout their deeds with the torrents of Gemini Falls. I have done nothing illegal, unless you hold the puff of a breeze responsible for where a leaf falls instead of the force of gravity in this country."

"She has a point father," the freckled soldier says. Others quickly concur to the frustration of their superior.

"Major have you been given leave?" he asks changing the subject, "It is against the law for soldiers to wear civies on active duty. If not we will need to arrest you."

"Yes I am on temporary leave. It was granted in light of my daughter's birthday. But myself and my girls stand ready to fight if needed." She carefully pulls her dress forward and reaches down her top. Her hand emerges from her chest with a folded piece of parchment, "I was told to present this if questioned."

The soldier reads the document.

Major Viki smiles knowing she's won.

He nods and returns it, "Yes everything seems to be in order," he says begrudgingly. He hands it back and Major Viki stuffs it back down her dress. "Proceed, and Happy Birthday to your daughter," he salutes and they walk off after the suspects.

After they leave, Zelig walks up, "Hello Major Viki."

"Zelig! Good to see you."

"You look stunning!" Zelig says smiling.

"Thank you these are…are my friend's," she pauses with a brief hint of fear.

"I probably know more about it then you do," Zelig says, "She is in no danger from me." He nods and smiles. Major Viki pushes back the tears and nods in return.

"We're did you get those flowers?"

Major Viki gets a frustrated look on her face and crosses her arms, "My baby snuck out of town and was rescued in Grauberg. She picked these there."

Zelig gets a terrified look on his face, "I heard about an Elvaan knight with a large bouquet of flowers but…"

"You didn't think there was a baby hidden with the flowers? I know… I've been getting that a lot."

"Who made your tiara?" Zelig tries to change the subject.

"She did. She comes up with the craziest ideas inside her little mind."

Major Viki adjusts her shirt, "I knew she was bigger than me, but this is ridiculous. I feel like I'm wearing one of my giant ex-mother-in-law's shirts."

Zelig is caught off guard by the comment, "You look just fine" he says nervously.

Major Viki smiles briefly in recognition, "My mother-in-law is something else. When we met the first time the first thing she said was 'She's too thin! She will never carry a litter with those hips and tiny breasts!'"

"That was rather uncalled for," Zelig protests.

Major Viki grimaces, "She was right though. I lost three tiny kittens before my baby came." She gently caresses the palm of her left hand as she talks. She stares at it lovingly as a mother would a child as she runs her fingers over her hand like petting a puppy. Zelig recoils in horror as he suddenly envisions a dead preemie in her hand.

Before he can respond — if he knew how to respond, she continues, "When I finally carried my baby I was so happy, she was big and strong, kicking like a playing opo-opo. I had many happy sleepless nights as she rolled around inside me. But then her moon came and went and she didn't come, she began moving less and kicking softer. I had finally carried a full term only to lose her like this. I don't know whether my body rejected what it thought was a dead baby or if she finally came on her own but she popped out the day before they were to take a knife to my womb. I almost lost her that night, and I've almost lost her every night since then." She looks up from her palm and smiles at Zelig, "Don't say 'I'm sorry'. I will never apologize for my baby, nor is she something to be apologized for. She is _my_ baby. Our Loving Mother gave her to me for a reason."

"You have a strong faith," Zelig finally says after a very long pause.

"You have no idea," she says back softly.

Major Viki and Zelig turn towards the front of the crowd as everyone claps and cheers louder than ever. Eventually Gamesage does one final set of flourishes and stomps to a stop. Chants of "Keep going!" and "We want more!" echo through the crowd. The Bards stop waiting to see what he will do.

Gamesage only bows and waves, "Sorry everyone that's all for now!" Some boos come from the back and the crowd turns anxious. Gamesage raises his arms to calm them, "Look! I can hear all your stomachs rumbling. Go eat with your families, play with your kids and I'll be back later with something even more amazing for your entertainment!" Gamesage begins to make his way through the mass of people as the crowd turns to each other and mumble.

The Bards glance at each other and start again. One of the Hume troupe walks behind their leader. "This is our chance to perform," he whispers.

The young man only shakes his head, "No…" he turns to the others, "No we won't be performing today. If we were to perform after that rat we'd only embarrass ourselves." He fumes and sees a small stone near his foot. He kicks it bitterly, "Damn him! Showing us up like that." He waves is arms disgusted at his dancers, "Just go change your clothes and maybe rethink your carrier choice." He storms off.

Gamesage is being mobbed by the crowd, Hume and Galka alike, asking "Who are you?", "Where did you learn to dance?", "Can I have your autograph?", etc. As Gamesage tries to modestly dodge the questions, he spots his salvation.

"Private Zelig! Major Viki!" he waves over and scurries his way towards them. Zelig extends his hand and to his surprise Gamesage garbs it then wraps his other arm around him in a strong bear hug. "Hey Zbigniew," he whispers.

Major Viki points at him with a gaping smile, "You're one of Bear's friends. I didn't recognize you at first."

"Yes Ma'am." Gamesage turns to her. Suddenly his face goes blank as his mind travels somewhere else. He looks at the ground briefly then looks back up at her. "I remember you," he says almost sounding surprised and confused.

Major Viki puts her hand on her hips, "Well I I'd hope so."

"Are you alright?" Zelig asks.

The question shocks him back to reality, "What? Oh… yeah, I'm fine." He turns back to Major Viki, "Did you get everything from Bear and Bluegollum?"

"Yes we did. I was on my way back when I saw the commotion." "You're quite agile… by anyone's standards," she corrects quickly, "I didn't mean it like that."

Gamesage nods and smiles, "I know."

"You're learning fast," adds Zelig.

"I'd rather I didn't have to," she sulks looking away.

"Don't we all," Zelig puts his hand on her shoulder. She looks up at him and smiles.

"Well, I need to hurry and get ready. This time I know you'll approve." Gamesage runs off.

"What did he mean by that?" she asks Zelig turning back to him.

Zelig shrugs his shoulders, "I don't know."

She looks at him questioningly.

"I'm serious. I don't know," he pleads motioning with his hands.

"Come on Major. You're missing everything!" A Mithra with a white loin's mane runs up and pulls her arm.

"Alright already, Ka'ithle Anin, I'm coming!" She waves goodbye as they both run back towards where the children were playing.

Zelig quickly searches for a superior. He stumbles across his unit commander, a Ranger in Dino armor and matching blue beret. "Commander sir!" he salutes.

"Zelig!" he smiles then catches himself, "I mean… Yes Private?" he says more professionally.

"A group of civilians have broken off from the festivities. Permission to follow and observe."

He nods, "Proceed as you see fit." Zelig nods and races off after Major Viki. "Hey wait!" the Commander yells halfheartedly, but he does not pursue.

"Well he seems in a good mood," he says smiling again.

"Sir, you wish us to bring him back?" salutes the officer from the arrest.

He turns around, "No. He can give his report later. Whatever is happening he seems in a hurry."

"Do you wish us to follow?" another asks.

"No, if Red Salmon wanted help he would have asked."

"Red Salmon? Is that Zelig's nick-name?" he asks.

"Yes it is, but don't call him that."

"Why? He's too nice to be not one of those Galkan extremist," another says.

"No it's nothing like that. He's just too modest," the Commander says turning to face his men, "See, he earned that name when he saved two men from drowning. They say he swam like a crazed salmon fighting up a waterfall. Not many people would willingly jump overboard during a hurricane."

Every one of them goes limp and slack jawed. One even drops his sword.

"How do you know about this?" the one who dropped his sword asks.

"My grandfather was on the navy ship that found them. He recognized the person Zelig rescued as an old shipmate of his that retired to take care of a kid he sired, the other man who was swept overboard. When Zelig found out my full name, he asked me if we were related and I said "Yep he's my granddad". He chuckles as he walks over. "I had the same reaction you did," he says leaning down to pick up the dropped sword. He stands up and hands it back to his subordinate, "And Zelig just laughed and asked if I wanted his autograph." The Commander takes a more professional tone, "All right then men! Bedtime story's over. Move out!"

Major Viki suddenly stops in her tracks. She catches glimpse of her girls, laughing and swooning over an Elvaan. It's Bluegollum, joking with the women. Ka'ithle Anin stops when Major Viki's arms slips from her grasp. She turns around seeing her surprised face.

"I know Major," she begins, "But he's not from San d'Oria. He's from Windurst and hates the Temple Knights as much as we do. The Elvaan are so intolerant and lockstep in their faith, none of us ever thought one would curse their Goddess."

Major Viki walks slowly over to them staring at Bluegollum all the way. He catches a glimpse of her and excuses himself politely and walks up to meet her. His expression changes to concern as he gets a better look at her facial expression.

"Is something the matter?" he asks walking up.

She pulls him aside, "Did I just hear correctly that you… an Elvaan… cursed Altana?"

He nods smirking, "Technically I cursed the Temple, it is possible to be an Altanan without being imprisoned and enslaved to every dotted "i" and crossed "t" in the Temple's Dogma."

She searches his face. "You don't believe in that thing Bearstar said back in San d'Oria do you?" she whispers disapprovingly.

He nods, "Don't advertise it though."

Major Viki shakes her head, "I can't even conceive how on Vana'diel such a faith started."

"If Bearstar has her way, you'll live to see it," he answers.

Before she can respond, Star runs up, "Mommy! Mommy! You look pretty!"

Major Viki extends her arms and Star jumps into them. She playfully swings her daughter in a circle then tosses her in the air catching her on her hip. They rub noses, "Only because of your flowers sweetie. You did a good job."

"Na-ah Mommy, you always pretty!" Star leans in close, "You just being silly," she half whispers.

"I'm gonna nip your nose," Major Viki gently bites Star's nose. Major Viki pulls back surprised and examines her daughter's face. "What do you taste like? Do you taste like cheese?" She tickles Star, "Do you taste like cheese?"

Star laughs and starts to struggle, "Put me down Mommy!" Major Viki puts her down, and Star runs over the others. She turns around and starts jumping waves both her arms, "Over here Mommy!"

Major Viki finishes walking over while Bluegollum takes the opportunity to sneak away. He sneaks over to the entrance to the residential areas and the barracks. His wife meets him there. "What are these?" she asks holding two bottles of wine.

Bluegollum stops in his tracks, "You… weren't supposed to find those."

She walks over, "You're being a little lax protecting Bear-Bear tonight, aren't you?"

"She's with Sage, and besides Major Viki is wearing her clothes. It's the perfect diversion."

Blueice's face turns sour and she gently shoves the wine bottles into his arms. "I am going to pretend that I didn't just hear you try to correct history," she mockingly flirts with muted rage. Blueice turns serious, "Look… We have all unfortunately had to deal with Lord Narcisse." She pokes him repeatedly in the chest. "And you know him better that most! Now, Lord Narcisse has under his command some of the best archers with the most powerful crossbows that exist at this time, and they are going to see a high-profile _female_ fugitive, openly in public… caring a _child_, a _female _child no less… either a pagan or a heretic _her_-self, over _her_ chest."

Before she can finish her tirade, Bluegollum shifts both bottles to his left arm and puts his right hand over her mouth. "I'll change my cloths," he says sheepishly and begins to walk away with his tail between his legs.

She crosses her arms, "Yeah you better", she fumes.

Back at the party, Major Viki finally makes it over. Star pulls out a piece of cheese that looks like it has been chewed by a beaver, "You want some of my birthday cheese Mommy?"

"Don't eat it Star's Mommy! It has boogies all over it!" a little girl says running up. Star turns around after handing it to Major Viki and stomps her foot and sticks out her tongue.

Major Viki looks around and sees the remains of a wheel of cheese, its wax coat resembling the shredded hymnal and the cheese itself looking like it had been mauled by a ferocious sabertooth tiger. Then she smiles realizing that it was.

Major Viki takes a bite of the piece of cheese. The other children are completely repulsed, "Ewwe!", "Gross!", "That's yucky!". The Mithras laugh so hard at the children they shake and beat their knees. Some even begin to hyperventilate.

One of them looks up from her knees, then raises her hand pointing, "Maj…Ma…jor…Major…Major!"

Major Viki turns around expecting trouble only to see Zelig running up.

"Did I miss the big surprise?" he says coming to a stop.

"Surprise? What surprise Mommy!" Star squeals excitedly.

The Mithras turn and glare at poor Zelig. The other children confused just glance back and forth between the women and the now intimidated Galka. He swallows and takes a step back.

Drogo frightened, runs from the other children and stands in front of Zelig facing the Mithras.

"Drogo what are you doing?" Zelig asks.

"No not again, never again, I won't let it," he says panicked.

Zelig smirks with pity at the trembling boy breathing sharp and fast. Zelig puts his hands gently on his shoulders, "I know life is hard, but in time you will learn the difference between anger and true hatred. I am in no danger from the Mithras."

Drogo glances up briefly at his face confused. Then he turns back and his gaze darts back and forth among the Mithras, but not their faces.

Major Viki looks around and sees many of her women have has unconsciously put their hands on their hips. When her arm brushes the hilt of her sword she realizes she has done the same. Major Viki turns back to Drogo and closes her eyes. She places her hands over her heart.

Her placid face suddenly turns to terror. "Girls watch your hips!" she bolts around facing them, "this boy has witnessed death!" The women look down at themselves and see the cause of the commotion. They lift their hands from their weapons in shock and dismay.

Major Viki unbuckles her sword belt and tosses it aside with a loud clank. Keeping her hands visible she walks up slowly to the two Galkas, then kneels in front of the terrified boy.

"I'm sorry," she says comfortingly, "I didn't know you were the boy from that game." She smiles softly, "You're a brave little boy," she kisses his forehead. She looks him in the eyes, "There's a soul of a proud warrior beating in your chest, don't lose that sweet heart of yours."

"How do you know who I was?" Drogo whispers.

Major Viki doesn't hear him as he stands, "We meant no harm Zelig," she bows, "You have our apologies."

"There's no need. I've seen many angry women put their hands on their hips." He puts his hand on Drogo's head, "Little Drogo here just isn't as educated as I am with the female species."

Major Viki nods and turns around, "Girls, fetch the surprise but give it to Zelig to present. It's only right since it was his idea."

Drogo looks up at him confused. "What?" he says softly.

"Don't worry about it now. Just have fun," Zelig whispers back.

Ka'ithle Anin walks up with a package wrapped in a cape. Zelig nods and mouths "thank you" as he takes it. He walks over and kneels in front of the excited girl, "Happy Birthday Bearstar."

She claps her hands and jumps up and down squealing excitedly before she grabs the present from his hands. She feels the shape under the cloth. "A dolly!" she shouts as she unwraps it. Her face turns to puzzlement though when she sees it. She turns it every which way as she examines it closely.

Little Icie pogos up and down tugging on her brother's arm. Whatever she is trying to say, all anyone can hear is her shouting, "Bear-Bear! Bear-Bear! Bear-Bear!" pointing at the confused Mithra cub.

"An animal dolly?" she asks looking up at Zelig.

He nods and grins, "We call this a teddy bear here in Bastok."

Her excitement returns, "A teddy bear? You mean like me?!"

Zelig nods, "Yes just like you."

Star looks back down at the teddy, "Why is it all squishy?"

"It's so you can sleep with it."

"You can sleep with it!" she asks smiling larger than ever."

Zelig chuckles, "Yes, you can sleep with it, play with it like a normal doll, and hug it when you're lonely or scared."

Star looks Zelig in the eye, "Naw-ah, I'm never scared! I'm a Mithra warrior just like my mommy," she says offended pointing at his nose.

"I didn't mean it like that," Zelig tries to apologize, "But a teddy can also protect a child that isn't as strong and brave as you."

Star turns her back to him huffing and crosses her arms still mad.

"Many children sleep with one so it can scare away nightmares."

Star's face turns to shock. She looks down at the unassuming plush toy.

"This can make the nightmares go away?" she asks thoughtfully. Her mind drifts somewhere else.

"It can't stop every nightmare," Zelig tries to step back from the absolute, "But it can scare away most nightmares. It is a bear after all, and bears protect the ones they love with their lives."

She hugs it, "Can it make the big doggie go away?"

"A doggie?" asks Zelig.

Star turns around and looks him in the eye. Zelig can see the pain in her face. "First I saw mommy on fire but now I see a big doggie when I sleep."

Zelig puts his hands on her shoulders, "If the teddy isn't scary enough to stop the big bad doggie, then I'll scare it away."

"Are you sure? It's really big," she asks worried.

"Of course I can. No doggie can beat me in a fight."

"But it's biggity big big," she stretches her arms out as far as she can, "even bigger than this."

"I can stop any doggie," Zelig boasts proudly.

Star nods and pulls Zelig's head close. "If you don't know how, have mommy teach you how to throw a boy cow down by grabbing its horns so you can fight the big doggie," she whispers in his ear.

Zelig looks at her confused as he watches her run to her mother. "Hey Mommy Mommy! Look! Look!"

"Yes I know sweetie, that's a cute little bear dolly you have."

"No Mommy! Look! Look!" Star points shouting. Everyone turns to see.

A Galka dressed in richly ornate purple and gold embroidered cloths and a simply dressed Mithra carrying traditional leather drums approach the birthday group. She is also decked out with braids of flowers similar to the ones Major Viki is wearing. His hat and coat resemble Bard's roundlet and justaucorps but his are a mark of a wealthy individual, not the simple traveling cloths worn by most Bards. The whole of Bastok, both Hume and Galka alike, are shocked at the sight of a Galka dressed as such. He appears to have a bucket strapped around his neck like a military drum and is carrying two drum sticks.

The duo seems to be setting up for a performance as she arranges her drums by height and he adjusts his clothes. A murmur permeates the crowd as the Galka is recognized as the Dancer from before. It's Gamesage, and an unknown Mithran companion. Zelig recognizes her though.

Gamesage starts to play a song no one recognizes on the bucket drum he made. A sound similar to metal bells fills the air as he hits each recessed panel giving a distinct note. Suddenly all the Mithra start clapping their hands and singing a song not in the common tongue. Bearstar starts banging her drums with her hands to the rhythm. Two Mithras place their swords in a pile on the ground. They start to dance around them. Others soon join them and begin doing summersaults over the two swords.

Zelig carefully walking up from behind Gamesage. "What are they doing?" he whispers.

"Imagine that as a bonfire," Gamesage whispers back.

Major Viki sits on the ground and calls her daughter over to her lap. The other children also find a place to sit and watch the performance. Adults begin to gather round and the children find themselves with a front row seat to the acrobatics and chorus. Icie gets so exited she tries to run out to join them. The other children run and grab her and pull her back kicking and screaming. Three of the Mithras that fought over the flowers come over to them.

"Mommy, look over there." Major Viki follows her daughter's finger and sees Icie joined by some of the other young girls holding hands with the Mithras and dancing in a circle. Suddenly they break step and all the girls jump up and fall down while the women gently sit. Then the girls shoot up to their feet giggling and start gathering hands together to form a circle again.

Major Viki whispers in her daughter's ear, "Now you better watch me this time."

Star scoots from her mother's lap as she stands up. She takes center stage and begins to stomp her feet and thrash around. The children watch in amazement as her moves from before suddenly make sense to them. Now properly dressed, her kicking and flailing clang her bells and rattle her bone jewelry in a chaotic but beautiful harmony to the music.

"Look there she is!" whispers a Temple Knight into Squire Gwenael's ear. He points at Major Viki wearing Bearstar's dress. Squire Gwenael is unable to hide the frightened look on his face. He has been watching little Star closely through the evening and knows she has been laughing and hugging this Mithra all night. He looks over at her now, and sees her clapping excitedly and wiggling to the rhythm.

"Squire now is the time. Give the order to advance," another says anxious for blood. Squire Gwenael closes his eyes and prays silently in his mind.

"Squire… Squire? …Squire!"

He opens his eyes finally and turns to his men. "No," he says with stern absolution.

"No what?" a knight asks.

"No we are not disrupting this party."

"Then have an archer pick her off. It's an easy shot."

Squire Gwenael glares angrily at the knight who said it. "I said we are not disrupting this party! There will be other times to bring justice to the heretic, but this is not the time or the place for it."

"We are under orders…"

"_I_ am giving the orders here! And _I_ say NO! Stand down Now!" All the knights are bitter and angry over the decision.

One in the rear moves away and finds a location by himself. He takes a wire from behind his ear. "Lord Narcisse, I have a report." It is the voice from before.

"Ah, good. The heretic is dead?" Lord Narcisse's voice comes from the pearl.

"No Lord Narcisse. She is alive and well."

"What?! Why in hell's name is she still breathing!"

Drogo sees Star sitting by herself clapping to the music and sits next to her, "Hello."

"Hi Hi," she says back.

"I like you. I can always tell people I like," he says smiling.

"Really? How come?" she asks.

Drogo looks surprised. "Well…" he looks at the ground, "I don't know." He looks back up, "It's just something I can tell." He taps his stomach, "Right here. Always have."

Star closes her eyes then opens them again smiling, "I like you too." She pulls on her long ears, "Right here." Drogo chuckles.

Star leans close, "Wanna play a game later?" she whispers. "I only play with Mommy but I think you can play it too," she tugs on his left ear, "Right here."

"Ok," he says a little confused, "I'll try anything once I guess."

"What are they singing?" Drogo asks turning to the party.

"It's my birthday song."

"What are the words in the common tongue?"

"Stoke the fires and light the torches, a star was born tonight. Build the fires strong and put your dresses on, a star was born tonight. Fill the kettles high and let your voice reach they sky, a star was born tonight. Because on that hopeful dawn a baby yawned, a star was born tonight."

Bearstar starts to blink and her head bobs not able to keep it up. She loses her balance and falls into Drogo. Other than her tail twitching wildly and a slight tremor in her right arm there is nothing suggesting anything major is wrong. Not knowing of her illness, Drogo puts his arm around her and lets her sleep in his lap.

As the party drags on with no sign of stopping, people bring out their holiday lanterns to illuminate the plaza. Soon after permission is given for a small, real fire to be built, and as the sun sets many of the city folk remain or return after putting their children to bed and join the Copperheads partying into the night. Wine and liquor start to appear as the children vanish and as the sun rises the last of the revelers stumble home.


	4. Chapter 3: Miasma and Ambrosia

**Chapter 3: Miasma and Ambrosia**

Dawn comes and the Temple Knights return to Bastok. While preparing for their day off, a Galka soldier comes to their barracks. "I have orders from President Prien for Lord Narcisse and the Tyrian Wolves."

"That would be me," Lord Narcisse stands up from his bunk.

"You and your men are to prepare and report for dawn patrol. When you return you will be given your day of rest."

"What? Why? This is our day off!" a knight protests.

"I don't know this for sure but I heard that the unit that was to be dispatched this morning got drunk last night and are being disciplined severely. All other units have already been assigned but yours so you are the replacement."

And evil grin envelopes Lord Narcisse's face, "Dispatched you say?" He turns to his men, "Well then seems we have work to do men." He claps his hands and rubs them together excitedly, "Prepare for battle!" His men groan in disgust.

As the Galka leaves, he shivers. "That man gives me the creeps," he thinks to himself.

After they ambush a group of Goblins near the path down the cliff face, Lord Narcisse gives the order to halt. He peers over the edge— there is no one in eyesight. He turns around and walks back toward the road. He sees that they are completely alone in the desert.

"Squire Gwenael!" he commands with his back turned.

"Yes Lord Narcisse!" Squire Gwenael snaps his heels in attention.

"Why did you disobey a direct order and not kill the heretic?"

"We will have other more appropriate opportunities," Squire Gwenael answers.

"More appropriate? How can there ever be an inappropriate time to serve the Glory of the Goddess!"

"To commit a cold blooded killing in front of a dying child is no service of the Goddess." There is an authority in his voice Lord Narcisse has never heard before from his young cousin. Under different circumstances he would be proud of him, but now it only infuriates him ever more.

He turns and walks over confronting him face to face. "You talk as if justice is itself a mortal sin?"

"Justice is no sin, but to jeopardize the salvation of a child is."

"The salvation of a child?"

"Yes, I have met the little Mithra girl…"

"A Mithra! You let the heretic go for another Mithra!"

"Lord Narcisse please, the babe is…"

"I don't want to hear it!" Lord Narcisse turns and walks a few steps away, his back to his cousin. He palms his mercy dagger.

"Compared to the other knights, your surveillance reports back in San d'Oria were rather sparse and lax," Lord Narcesse begins, "I doubt the Mithras changed their behavior so dramatically during your watch. Maybe you believe that our laws are not to be enforced?"

"I don't believe that the Mithran race are as far gone as you believe them to be."

He turns around, "The Mithras are unable to submit their souls to the services of Altana! They are too proud and cling to their pagan ways like a thistle to a pants' leg. The words of the heretic are more than enough proof of the impossible corruption of their minds. They are incapable of the higher reasoning needed to attain salvation!"

"You're wrong cousin! It is our pride that condemns them not theirs!"

"How dare you sully the immaculate San d'Oria by equating us to the heathens!" yells a Myrmidon.

Squire Gwenael turns towards his accuser, "I think it is a perfectly valid comparison! Both of our arrogance and self-righteousness have closed our long ears to each other. If all of us were to open our ears to each other and listen then we would hear some of the most beautiful poetry I have ever been blessed to encounter!"

"You just spoke blasphemy Squire!" another knight shouts.

"The truth is no blasphemy!"

"You do realize we are under direct orders from the Papsque!" another shouts.

"I am well aware of the consequences. If my excommunication will bring salvation to another then so be it!"

"I guess we can blame your parents for this," muses Lord Narcisse.

"What do you mean by that!" Squire Gwenael turns to face him.

"For giving you such a weak name," he says walking up hiding the blade behind his arm. "Generosity has no place in the service of the Goddess!"

Squire Gwenael thinks he's about to get slapped in the face. He never sees the dagger.

He hits his knees grasping desperately at this neck. No Paladin, no matter how skilled, can heal with his larynx ripped from his throat.

"Now that that is over with, here's the new plan," he says coldly.

The men cheer and raise their swords to the sky as Squire Gwenael, still conscious, struggles his last moments on the ground. As his life fads he doesn't know which is more painful, his own death or the horror reaching his ears.

Hangovers aside, life drifts back to normal by that afternoon, at least for the adults. The children are running wild with leftover sparklers and singing songs. Mothers are busy grounding their children as the streets fill with want-to-be Bards mimicking Gamesage's performance with stolen cooking pots and wooden spoons and bandaging scraps and bumps as they try their hands at Mithran gymnastics. Soldiers and mages also have their hands full corralling overly rambunctious children that get in their way and taking timeouts from their patrols to heal small boo-boos.

Zelig's unit and the Copperheads are assigned to joint patrol. As they leave a female voice cries "Hey wait up!" coming from behind. Everyone stops and turns around.

Two Dark Knights run up from the direction of the Maw, a Galka and a Mithra. The Galka is dressed in imposing black armor decorated with purple gems with a glistening ebony scythe darker than the darkest night strapped to his back while the Mithra is dressed in simple Centurions Scale Mail with a mundane greatsword. The Mithra stops at the back of the group, leans over putting her hands on her knees, and breaths heavily. The Galka walks up and salutes, "My apologies…"

Attention turns to the Mithra as she starts to cough uncontrollably.

"If your ill then you should not be on active duty," the naive young Hume patrol leader says very concerned.

The Mithra takes out a small cheesecloth bundle of herbs, puts it over her mouth and breaths in. Major Viki also starts to cough violently as the breeze kicks up dust. "It's just the dust I swear," the Mithra says as she gives the bundle to Major Viki who is now on her knees surrounded by her women. Major Viki catches her breath and is helped to her feet.

The leader nods, "Very well then." He raises his voice to speak to the entire group, "Now remember everyone! Be on you guard. A Temple Knight was killed this morning in an ambush." He turns his back and begins to walk forward. The patrol continues without his inquiring the names and purpose of the new additions.

The Galkan Dark Knight walks up to Zelig and nods. "Zelig" he says smiling. Zelig smiles and nods back and they begin walking side by side. The Mithra and Major Viki take turns supporting each other passing the bundle back and forth as the wind picks up dust.

But half way through the patrol, it becomes obvious that neither Mithra will make it through. Zelig and the unnamed Dark Knight volunteer to escort the ailing Mithras back to town.

"I've never seen a set of Chaos Armor customized so beautifully before," Zelig says.

"This isn't Chaos Armor. I've attained this armor through Diabolos' blessing," Gamesage answers carrying Bearstar.

"I never thought of you as Dark Knight material. You've always been too light-hearted to draw your strength from hatred and malice," Major Viki says in between coughs.

"You shouldn't be talking," Zelig says supporting her with his left arm wrapped around her back and up underneath her arm, "Are you sure you don't want to be carried?"

"I have my pride as a Mithra warrior."

"I see."

Bearstar takes the cheesecloth from her mouth, "I'm not a Dark Knight I'm a Paladin. I figured dressing like this I wouldn't be noticed since these Bastokan armor and weapon are designed more with Dark Knights in mind other than San d'Orian Paladin stuff. And please call Mizar now. I've been using it as an alias since San d'Oria."

"I see," Major Viki tries to laugh but ends up coughing instead. "Goddess I've never coughed like this here before, even in the northern deserts of Mindartia."

"The wind has changed direction. That's why it's blowing dust and sand. Though once the rain comes it will dampen down the dust," Zelig says.

"I don't smell any rain on the wind," Major Viki coughs.

"The wind only turns this direction when there's a storm out at sea headed in this direction. Judging by the strength of the waves it should hold together long enough to drench us."

"You should trust Zbigniew. He's served in the fishing fleet for decades now," adds Gamesage.

"Zeb… Z-big… z-Big-naw…Zbigniew?" Major Viki finally spits it out but butchers it severely, "I'm sorry."

"That's alright we're used to it by now," Gamesage says, "It means 'to rid of anger' in Galkan. It's the closest thing we have to parents as you would understand the concept."

"I'd probably understand better than most." She looks at Bearstar smiling, "The reason I was trying to laugh earlier was I thinking that Heaven must have intervened for us to meet. Not only do you have my daughter's name but now you've taken my grandmother's as well."

"Was she your Zbigniew?" Gamesage asks.

Viki nods, "When I was little I was very tormented. Some though I was possessed by demons, but my grandmother recognized the 'Double Ears' when she saw it and protected me, she's all I've ever really have until my baby was born."

"What about your husband?" Zelig asks.

"I'm not going back. When she proved ill many people thought my miasma poisoned her in the womb, but when she began having visions herself that was the end of it. No one's touching my baby, ever!"

"Visions? What do you mean?" Zelig asks confused.

"It's a power that runs in our family. Mithras' call it the 'Double Ears'. We can sense the emotions of all living things and feel the energies of the world around us. It was because I was so mistreated by everyone that it manifested itself as malevolent, but she taught me the truth of my powers and how to understand them, though control…" she starts to cough, "-ling it …is impo…ssible."

She hacks and coughs up yellow paste. Bearstar starts hacking too.

"We need to get these two out of the wind before their asthma gets the better of them," Gamesage says turning to Zelig.

"Asthma?!" Zelig face shows shock and fear looking down at Viki's hair. Suddenly Zelig picks her up and starts sprinting towards the gate.

"Put me down,*cough**cough*, you big brute! *cough*," she pounds his shoulder.

"Hey wait up!" Gamesage runs behind.

"Guards! Guards!" Zelig runs up to the gate. They run out to meet them when they see them carrying the two Mithras.

"What happened? Was there a raid?" a soldier asks.

"No these two are having asthma attacks. They can't take the dust." A large gust of wind kicks up a blinding cloud that envelopes them whole.

"I don't even think a normal person can take this," coughs the guard, "Get them in now!" he yells.

Running to the Infirmary, they come across dozens of Galka and Hume soldiers dashing with weapons drawn franticly crisscrossing the city. Children are running screaming with tear soaked faces. Total strangers are grabbing everyone nearby and hiding them in their stores and homes.

Gamesage flags down a boy carrying a screaming toddler. "What's going on?"

"The big cats and the Elvaan are fighting!" he yells over the crying.

"Get in here now!" a man grabs the boy by the arm and pulls them into a nearby store.

He looks at Bearstar. She nods. Gamesage puts her down and runs off. Zelig turns to yell at Gamesage but Bearstar leans on his shoulder and says "Just go" coughing.

"Put me down! Put me down!" Major Viki starts to struggle even more but Zelig holds fast. Then Major Viki goes into an intense coughing fit and they make their way through the chaos to the hospital.

Gamesage comes across a horrific scene. Several Mithras are on the ground bleeding heavily, one with an arm completely severed. A knight takes one final swing mangling the severed arm into hamburger to his satisfaction. He digs the heel of his steel armored boot into the bloody hand. The sickening crack of bones snapping torments the ear. "There we go," the knight says with a satanic smile.

"Child, get off me! They'll kill us both!" A small boy is clinging to a so far uninjured Mithra pining her to the ground. His torn bloody pant leg with no scrap underneath tells the story.

"You should listen to the savage boy," the knight says stepping over his handiwork.

Another knight is laughing hysterically pointing at the carnage, "And you call yourselves a warrior race! Did you really think your bare flesh and bone weapons could stand against the sacred steel of Altana! I can see why the fledgling Tarus would rely on your kind as mercenaries!"

"Those pagan markings and tattoos didn't serve you all that well did they?" mocks another.

"Your ways are a complete foil to civilized sensibilities. Females stand above men, you are allowed to think and speak openly when everyone knows a woman's mind is distorted by the passions of your lunar cycle, and you parade your flesh openly baring all including your breasts," the knight finishes walking up to the Mithran healer and the boy. "Last chance boy, do you welcome the eternal love of the Goddess or stand with the heathens?"

The boy only clings tighter as his screaming reaches a new falsetto.

"Then accept the salvation of Altana and DIE!" The knight raises his sword.

The Mithra covers the boy with her body.

Suddenly the sound of twisting steel, breaking bones and a blood-curdling scream pierces the air. The knight drops to his knees grasping his arm.

Gamesage stands above him holding his sword. He throws over the sea wall into the bay below.

The others raise their swords. "Draw your weapon knight and die with honor!" demands one.

"There's no need to stain it with the filth that fills your veins," Gamesage answers.

"Just who do you think you are? Talking to us like that," another says.

Gamesage points at him with his right hand, "I am the reincarnation of a demon." He then turns his palm up and motions with his fingers taunting them. "Come get me you unholy paladins!"

They charge swords swinging.

The Bastok soldiers running to help all stop in their tracks and gasp at the brutal horror. One young Hume even throws up. Zazarg who is with them only stares in disbelief instead of his normal laugh.

It was a massacre more than a fight.

Gamesage takes a moment to catch his breath over the broken bodies of the Temple Knights. He then drops to his knees along side the armless Mithra and cauterizes the wound with a fire spell. He looks over at the soldiers, "Well don't just stand there save the Mithras!"

A handful nod and all begin running over. The boy lets go and runs to them. The Mithra healer crawls over and holds the hand of the mutilated disembodied arm, she looks not even twenty. "My cousin" she whimpers softly.

Gamesage puts his left hand on her right shoulder, "Help save your friends, then take the arm to the hospital with them."

She looks up crying.

"There's a healer there that cannot just safe her life but save her arm as well," he whispers. As he finishes the soldiers rush in and start to help the wounded. She nods and starts healing the others.

Suddenly the alarm bells ring.

"Goddess! Can this day get any worse?!" Gamesage yells. He draws his scythe and turns to Zazarg, "Come on General, Let's go!" He charges towards the gate.

Zazarg looks around for a general but he's the highest ranking officer there.

"Praefectus! You're orders?!" a soldier asks.

"You," pointing at a subordinate, "take five healers and ten men and get these warriors to the Infirmary." He picks up his adargas and raises his fist to the sky, "The rest of you men fellow me! Our blades will drink Beastmen's blood today!"

Everyone cheers and runs off except the fifteen men who stay behind.

Major Viki, Zelig, Bearstar, and a Hume doctor are in a room. "I've never seen someone recover so rapidly before from an asthma attack, especially one as severe as yours. Is that a Mithran trait?" the doctor asks Major Viki.

"Not in the least, we've been using these herbs for generations to ease those with the Spring Cough," Bearstar says.

"The Spring Cough?" he asks turning around.

"Apparently it's our name for your asthma," Major Viki answers.

She turns to Bearstar, "I recognize the salty taste but I've never experienced such a strong reaction in my lungs before."

"Taru breeding and magic," she says smiling, "They're starting to experiment with it. That and using Jeuno's new crystal synthesis method adapted for gardening."

"I'll definitely need to ask the Tarus about this. In Bastok it's the winter dust storms instead of the spring pollen."

"The mages wouldn't know anything about it," Bearstar says hurriedly, "The mages are under the control of a different ministry."

"Damn," curses the doctor. "My nephew has asthma."

A nurse runs in, "Doctor! Doctor! The latest victims from the Temple Knights rampage are here!"

He runs into the hallway, "Ho-LY Dawn," he stutters. He disappears.

Bearstar looks out the door. He rushes back in and grabs Zelig, "Moogle! Where's the nearest moogle! I can't do this as a Paladin!"

"In…in the barracks."

"That far!" She dashes out the door.

Zelig looks out into the hallway. He runs out.

Major Viki hops off the doctor's table and looks. "Altana," she gasps.

She runs up to the doctor that was just treating them as the armless Mithra is carried in. "Doctor let me help!"

"Are you a doctor too?" he asks.

"Not by your race's definition, I'm an apothecary and a Mithran folk healer. I've…"

"You're in."

"Doctor!" protests a nurse.

Her cousin runs up with a wrapped parcel.

"What you got there?" he asks her.

She unwraps part of the arm. The doctor grimaces, "There's no way we can do anything with this." He puts his hand on her shoulder.

"But the Dark Knight who saved us said there was a mage here that could save her and her arm!"

"A Dark Knight?" Major Viki says, "One with jeweled black armor and an ebony scythe?"

"Yes it was him!" she turns to Major Viki, "Are you her?"

"No, but I know who it is." Major Viki turns to the doctor, "Ready an operation room now!"

"Hey who are you to give orders!" the nurse shouts.

The doctor searches Viki's face for an explanation. He nods. "Do what she says! Down to the very last detail. That's an order."

"Yes doctor!" the nurse runs off.

"It's your friend isn't it?"

Major Viki nods. "She went to get her things she'll be back as fast as her legs can carry her."

In the chaos, a Mithra dressed is Savage armor runs unnoticed through the halls. Major Viki sees her and brings her into the room. "You were a little foolish to show your face so clearly weren't you?" she whispers.

"Sometimes the best place to hide is plain sight," Bearstar whispers back, "Now wearing this in the halls would have been really stupid." She leans down and pulls her red and white hat out of her bag.

Viki nods, but then notices the brown stripes. "Wait. This hat's different."

"Most people waste their entire lives chasing after these, but Gamesage is truly blessed. Without him I would have never gotten these so fast." In her excitement she is barely able to whisper.

"Is she her?" the doctor asks.

"Yes," answers Major Viki standing straight at attention.

"We have everything ready then."

"Give me a moment then," Bearstar says. She walks into a side room and changes into her Cleric's Attire.

Everyone is bug-eyed when she comes out.

"You're a sanctioned Temple Healer?" a nurse says shocked.

"There are Mithras who follow Altana, just as there are some Elvaans who do not."

"Elvaan that deny the Goddess?!" the doctor says.

"Patient first. Preaching second," Bearstar says walking to the table. She puts her hands over her mouth and gasps at the sight of the arm. "Has the arm been wrapped in ice?" she says shocked.

"Yes," Major Viki says. "I remembered you doing so previously so I had it done."

"Good… that gives us a chance then." Bearstar walks up to the table.

Things go well at first, but complications arise reattaching the arm. She's lost too much blood.

"It's over," the doctor says leaning against the wall.

"I told not to trust the Mithras!" screams the nurse. "I'm gonna report you to the Head Master right now!" She storms out.

"Everyone," Bearstar says, "I need you to leave the room immediately." She has a stern look on her face.

"Why so sudden?" the doctor says.

"There are some high level magics I haven't tried yet, but if I mess up it cannot just kill me but everyone in this room." Bearstar points at the door, "Evacuate immediately!"

"But why? She's dead," asks another assistant.

"I haven't declared her dead yet have I? Now get out now! Before I cast Holy on the lot of you!"

Major Viki escorts them all out. She smiles as she peeks her head through the door, "Don't leave me yet." Major Viki closes the door.

Bearstar drops to her knees trembling and clasps her hands together, "Please answer my prayer." She takes a deep breath to study herself, then puts her hands in a sign.

About fifteen minutes later, the nurse comes back with the Head Master. "There he is!" she points at the doctor sitting across from the door. Major Viki along with the other nurses and assistances have stayed awaiting one outcome or another.

"So I hear you let unlicensed individuals operate on a patient?"

"Yes Head Master," he says standing up, "but…"

"No buts," lectures the furious Head Master, "Your fired, and I'm gonna make sure you lose your license. I have half a mind to report you for murder…"

Before he can finish is tirade, a naked Mithra covered in blood runs out of the room, "Someone! Someone Help!"

The nurse screams it terror, "A ghost!" She hides behind the Head Master.

The others rush in to find Bearstar unconscious on the floor. Major Viki puts her hands together over her heart and mouths something. Zelig is caught off guard for a moment but quickly comes back to reality. They pick her up and carry her into the empty room next door. The mages have their hands full but they save her life.

Bearstar wakes up to voices, but doesn't open her eyes.

"Are there really white magics that can kill the user?" It's the doctor.

"Yes," says a squeaky little Taru voice "But they are not to be used. But there was something else about her injuries that I didn't recognize."

"I can't believe she pulled it off," says another Taru, "From the description of the injuries that Mithra should have had a 98% change of dying even without the reconstruction attempt. To have attempted it at all would be irresponsible to the point of criminality."

"The Galka who saved us said that there was a mage who could do it so I believed him."

"This Galka she keeps talking about doesn't match any of her know accomplices." The deep base can only come from a Galka.

"Soldiers?!" she thinks. She stays motionless.

"We've already questioned Zelig and Major Viki, but he claims to know nothing and she isn't cooperating," says a different Galka.

"Mommy?!" Bearstar thinks.

"Well there's little questioning that she's the Mithra the Elvaan are after," the first Galka says, "Doctor you stay here and watch her. The rest of you come with us."

"I can't believe that her clothes could possibly be a forgery. It's too beautiful and deliberately well made. A forger would have taken better care to match the Healer's Attire thread by thread," the second Galka says. His voice lessens as he speaks meaning he has turned to walk away. She hears the door shut and she peeks through her eye lids.

They are in a small room with no windows in the walls or in the door. She and the young doctor are completely alone. "Doctor?" she whispers.

"You're awake?" he jumps back in shock. "You're supposed to be unconscious for at least another hour." He walks up and looks down at her. He feels her head for fever and checks her pulse. "Your forehead's on fire but the rest of you is as cold as death."

"Doctor where's my bag?"

"Your bag? …Oh I completely forgot about, it must still be in the spare room."

"Is there a way to get it? It has medicine inside… that… that will make me feel better…I…promise." Bearstar smiles briefly but her breaths suddenly turn hoarse and shallow.

"Yes our room is connected to the same closet." He opens the door and pulls her bag out. Other than her spare clothes there are four empty bottles and one half full. "Is this it?" He carries it over and shows it to her.

"Yes that's it," she whispers jaggedly.

He uncorks the top of the glass bottle and sniffs it, "It smells sweet. What is it?"

"It's a drink common in Mindartia. Please help me drink it."

He lifts her head up and she swallows it. He wipes her mouth. Bearstar smiles and closes her eyes. Satisfied that she will be all right, the young doctor sits on a chair next to the door.

Sometime later, she hears the door open. "How is she?" It's one of the Galkas from before.

"She's resting comfortably," she can hear the chair squeak as he stands up. "Time for shift change then," the Galka says.

She hears the door shut. Bearstar peeks through her eyelids and sees that she is finally alone. She opens her eyes fully and looks for her bag. She sits up carefully when she doesn't see it. Kicking something soft, she looks down. It's her bag.

When the guards and the new watchmen come in, she is gone.

The doctor is being interrogated by the guards. An Elvaan knight dressed only in his Gambison undergarments hears the commotion and hobbles out of his room over to the source of the yelling on a bad leg.

"I'm telling you I don't know anything!" the doctor yells pleading.

"Don't give us that," yells the Head Master, "Stop trying to protect that woman before you get all of us arrested!"

"I'm telling you I don't know how she escaped or where she went!"

"Did she ever wake up briefly then went back to sleep?" a guard asks.

"Actually she did wake up for a tad but she was extremely groggy and went back to sleep almost immediately after I got her a drink."

"Where did you get a drink from? You didn't leave the room did you?"

"No it was in her bag. She asked for it."

"She had a bag?" the other Galka asks angrily, "Why didn't anyone tell us she had a bag?"

"In the chaos we must off all forgotten about it. It was in the storage room joining the operation room and the room we put her in."

The first Galka yells at a Hume soldier, "Go search that room!"

"Yes sir!" he salutes.

"Did you overgrown monkeys and flat-eared morons let her escape again!"

They all turn to see an Elvaan standing at the door bent over grabbing at his knee, breathing hard and dripping with sweat.

"Who are you?" demands the first Galka.

"I am Lord Narcisse D Evanglemagne. Commanding officer of the Tyrian Wolves Temple Knights here in Bastok."

"Ah then this entire mess is your fault!" a Taru yells pointing and jumping up and down.

"I'm back sir!" the Hume says saluting, "This is all we found." He holds up a bottle.

"Yes that's the one," the doctor says.

The second Galka takes it, pulls out the stopper and sniffs it. "I don't recognize this. Do you Head Master?" He hands him the bottle.

"No, No I don't." he answers with a perplexed look on his face.

"She said it is common in Mindartia," the doctor says.

"Then you smell it," the Head Master says handing the bottle to the Taru. He gives it a good whiff.

"Ah, yes! This is the sweet smell of Yagudo drink. It's a powerful refresher."

"So that bitch does have connections to the Beastmen. I must report this immediately to the Papsque." He turns to leave.

"Why would having a Yagudo drink be proof of treachery?" the Taru asks.

Lord Narcisse turns and looks down and the Taru, "You just said the cursed potion comes from the Beastmen!"

"Just because it's a Yagudo drink doesn't mean it was made by a Yagudo. We Tarus use it all the time."

"What do you mean by that!" Lord Narcisse yells. He instinctively reaches for his sword, but he doesn't have it.

"Unlike with you races of Quon, we Tarus have good trade with the Yagudo in times of peace. They have a proud civilization in their own right, and you must respect them for at least that much."

"You keep relationships with the Beastmen? No wonder your capital was sacked horribly" the Hume soldier says.

The Taru starts jumping in rage, "I will not be lectured by people who think the word peace is either doesn't exist or think it is nothing more than a brief truce just to rearm and plain the next war!"

"Don't think I'll allow myself to be dishonored by a blasphemer who worships living flesh instead to the true ethereal!" Lord Narcisse raises his hand to strike the Taru but he suddenly falls to the ground screaming grabbing his bad knee. Drogo is behind him with an outstretched fist.

"You BAD MAN!" Star screams and stamps him as hard as she can in his unprotected crotch.

"Where did you get that sword child?" the Hume soldier asks.

"This knight dropped it when I beat him up earlier," Drogo answers.

"Yeah! We beat him and all the bad guys Good!" Star yells jumping in excitement. She puts her hand out in a victory sign and sticks her tongue out.

Everyone starts to laugh hysterically.

"The Great Lord Narcisse losses to a mere lad!" the second Galka roars.

Lord Narcisse hobbles off in disgrace.

"Here you go sir." Drogo hands the first Galka the sword.

"Where did you learn to use a sword Drogo?" he asks trying unsuccessfully to control his laughing.

"I don't know sir. This is the first time I picked one up."

He kneels down to look the boy in the face, "I see. That's perfectly alright then."

"Wait Drogo? As in our little chess champion?" the Head Master asks.

"Yep that's me sir," he says proudly.

"My grandchildren play with you. They say you're such a nice little ra…" he looks up at the two Galkan soldiers, "I mean Galka. Such a nice little Galka." He starts to tremble and back up.

The two soldiers stop laughing and glare at him.

Drogo gets in between them and holds his arms out to either side. "No," he says.

Everyone suddenly looks at the floor as Star is crawling on her hands and knees sniffing.

"What are you doing now?" Drogo asks annoyed.

"I'm looking for rats but I don't smell any," she says looking up at him.

Drogo puts his hand to his forehead in disbelief, "That's because there are no rats here Bearstar."

She stands up puts her hand on her hips and stomps her foot glaring at the Head Master. "You big lair! I'm telling the Goddess!" she yells pointing. Star puts her hands next to her mouth, takes a deep breath and goes to scream but Drogo grabs her and puts his hands over her mouth. She mumbles into his hand then turns around angrily. "Hey what you do that for?"

"We don't have time for this. We need to find your mommy."

Remembering this, she starts to cry.

"What is it child?" the doctor asks kneeling down. Star grabs him by the neck and starts to wail. "Is her mother a healer?" the doctor looks up at Drogo.

"Yes sir, her mother is Major Viki of the Copperheads."

Everyone looks at each other then down at the children. "Your mother's unharmed child," the second Galka says, "We can take you to her."

Bearstar nods and lets go.

"I'm coming too!" Drogo insists.

The first Galka nods and with Drogo holding his hand and Star holding the other Galka's hand, they walk down the hall.

Down another hallway there is a crowd of Mithras screaming at a group of soldiers.

"What's going on here!" the Galka holding Drogo's hand orders.

"They won't let us in to see our Major!" one screams. As they start to turn around to face the new men they spot the children.

"Star!" several of them yell and they dash forward. Some skid on their knees as Star lets go of the hand and chooses one to hug.

"Oh baby, are you ok?" the one hugging her asks. The others all start asking questions at once making an incoherent racket.

"It's ok. I was with her the whole time," Drogo says releasing the hand and walking up.

Another Mithra hugs Drogo, "Thank you, little one."

"Make way!" the first Galka orders waving his hand, "And let us and the children through!"

The crowd lets the Galkas and the children though the blockade and they turn a corner into an empty hallway.

Major Viki and Zelig are talking alone in the room they have been locked up in for a few hours completely alone. They giggle quietly.

"… Oh Viki is my given name. My sister serves in my unit as well so my girls use my given name in spite your lands' protocol to avoid confusion. My full name is Viki Sayma."

"I see. I'm sorry about carrying you in here earlier Major Sayma," Zelig says, "It's just that over the centuries I've seen so many people die from asthma attacks."

"That's alright and please just call me…," suddenly Major Viki rolls her eyes up, crinkles her brow and juts out her lower lip.

Zelig recognizes the face and smiles. "So that's where she gets it from," he thinks.

"Wait a minute…Did you just say centuries?"

Zelig nods, "Yep, I turn a hundred and twelve this winter."

"You don't look really old?"

"Galkas usually have about two hundred years or so between Journeys. I'm only middle aged."

"What do you mean by Journeys?"

"Galkas are not born or die in the same sense as the other races. When we grow old up to a certain point, our bodies go through a transformation back into infancy. We call it 'The Journey of Rebirth.'"

"Do you remember your past lives?"

"No. Each rebirth wipes are minds free as a fresh start. We're no different than any other races' children in that sense."

"I see. But does it ever happen? I mean that someone remembers for some reason or another?"

"Yes it can happen, those individuals are called the Tales Keeper. They are our kings. Our last Tales Keeper, Raogrimm, disappeared ten years ago during an expedition to the Northlands."

"That's about the time the Shadow Lord began his conquest and consolidation of the Beastmen nations before turning his attention on us last year."

He thinks back to the conversation he had with Gamesage. "Yes… yes I know."

Zelig sighs and starts to blink rapidly.

"Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine…It's just…"

"It's just what?" she asks after a long pause.

"I lost my Zbigniew, or father if you will, very unexpectedly to the Journey. He was quite young, not even a hundred and seventy yet. He should have had another forty-fifty years left but Altana cut his life short for some reason. People never leave so soon."

"I'm sorry," Major Viki says taking his hand.

Zelig closes his eyes. His face turns from sadness to a muted rage.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

Zelig begins to talk with his eyes still closed, "Most people think it was Karma. That he was being punished somehow for a corrupt life. Others think he lived such a hard and fast life that he used up his years early. I don't like when people bad mouth him. It makes things worse. Then again most people wouldn't have anything good to say about him anyway. In any case… I need to keep my tongue about things."

"But why? Why don't you just tell them straight?"

Zelig shakes his head, "It's complicated."

"Don't think me a presumptuous panther," Major Viki says scooching closer, "But I think I have some qualifications for complicated."

"You've told me of your lost ones and your broken marriage…"

Major Viki shakes her head, glances at the ground, then looks back up with a soft smile. "My sister and the warriors from my village have been spreading the legend of the Forest Fang long before we crossed the sea, but now they do it in earnest. I think it best you hear this from me."

Zelig looks up at the door. "And you have a captive audience," he chuckles.

She smiles blushing, then looks down and rubs her leg. "This is the story of the armor I'm wearing...

After my mother disowned me when I was about six, my grandmother took me away to the Broken Wings nests. Broken Wings are exiles like myself that the forest gobbles up and makes disappear. We are feared like ghosts and wood sprites.

When I was barely twelve, I came with Granny into the village. I heard a story about a scorpion terrorizing the trader's road." She shakes her head, "My teachers filled my head with such stories… That I was destined to become the best hunter in more than a generation…" She shrugs her shoulders and sighs, "So I stole a sword and when out after it."

"Did you kill it?" Zelig asks smiling.

Major Viki turns to him, "Yes I did. But not until it had killed two of the warriors sent after me. When everything was said and done, five people were dead and two became Broken Wings. An entire generation of one family gone."

Zelig's jaw drops, whatever he is trying to say comes out as soft moans.

She looks away again, "Normally the first hunt is a sacred time held on a girl's sixteenth spring. It's when a girl finally becomes a woman. The prey's bones and teeth, usually something small like a rahab, is used to make a holy charm to be worn while hunting. But my mother, our Chieftainess if I have not already told you, declared that fiasco as my First Hunt and instead of a charm, a whole suit of armor be carved from the scorpion's body for me to wear while hunting from that day forward. She also gave me the epithet 'the Forest Fang' that day and ordered everyone call me that every time my name was spoken for all eternity."

Zelig again only moans.

She picks up Zelig's chin. His teeth make a clicking sound. "It took me a long time, a long time to see it was never my fault. But this harness, and everything it represents is not the dishonor Mother tried to make it into. What greater show of love is there but to die for someone. And I wear it proudly now. Thanks to Granny and the others."

"You… have… good… friends," Zelig finally stutters.

"Thank you," she smiles. Then she looks down as she rubs her leg. "I know this looks like random armor but these old things belonged to the two warriors that first died by the scorpion. Took a lot to talk their mother out of them," she chuckles, "But that conversation is a story in itself. I won't bore you any longer."

Zelig takes a deep cleansing breath and lets it out slowly. After several extended moments it becomes obvious he is collecting his thoughts.

"I'm a little nervous to ask this…" he looks down at his feet.

Major Viki just stares at him.

"I heard you whisper 'Altana' earlier, when you saw Bearstar."

Viki also turns her head to the ground. "I didn't think I made a sound."

"It was more mouthing than an audible whisper but I saw it."

"Yes…yes I am an Altanan," she finally answers after a long pause.

"May I ask if you raised or did you convert?"

"My grandmother has faith in Altana, but looking at her you would never tell. She's a storyteller, healer, prophetess, and comes from a long line of chieftainesses. She keeps Altana to herself though, we all do."

"How come?"

"Altanans are looked down upon. They say we have lost our way. That we've become corrupted by the Tarus. That we're no longer true Mithras."

"Your secret's safe with me… Are all Broken Wings Altanans?" he asks as the thought pops in his mind.

Major Viki shakes her head, "No. There are just as many in the villages as there are in the trees. But you are right that it is a motivation. We can't exactly communicate with each other by standard runners now can we?"

Major Viki looks up at the ceiling and closes her eyes. "When I was younger, I had a vision of a beautiful woman with pure white wings holding a giant tree in her hands. I went inside the tree and the whole universe was inside with stars dancing around me. When I told my grandmother about it because I didn't know what I saw, she told me about Altana and the Great Star Tree of Windurst."

"Is that where you got your daughter's name?" Zelig thinks out loud again.

"Yes, the last part of it comes from the Star Sybil. Bear comes from my grandmother's name, Mizar."

"Mizar means a bear then?"

Major Viki smiles at a thought, "Close enough."

"Why the Star Sybil?"

"The Tarus think the Star Sibyl is the mortal incarnation of Altana herself."

"Really?" Zelig says shocked.

"Yep, the name 'Star' as such an ambiguity to it. It was a simple choice to praise Altana, especially with my grandmother's name being Mizar."

"I thought it was a unique name before but knowing its origins makes it even more beautiful."

"Thank you. My grandmother loves it too. She's our little secret."

Zelig studies her questioning with his eyes. "You've been rather open with me even though we just met."

Major Viki pulls her right knee up to her chest placing her heel on the edge of the bench. "I like you. I can see your heart and I feel completely safe around you." She giggles.

The door swings open catching them off guard.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Star comes running in and jumps on Major Viki.

"Sweetie!" she hugs her daughter tightly and kisses her on her temple.

"Drogo," Zelig says seeing him at the door. He walks in and stands in front of Zelig smiling but does not show any other signs of affection in stark contrast to the scene next to them.

"Is my baby ambrosia ok? The big meanie Elvaans didn't hurt you did they?" she asks dotingly.

Star shakes her head, "Nope. Me and Drogo beat them up." She raises her fists triumphantly it the air.

"Drogo is she telling the truth?" Zelig says with a beaming smile on his face as if he already knows the answer.

Drogo points at Star. "She started it! She was throwing rocks at the Knights!" he says thinking he's in trouble.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of," the first Galka says laughing, "Defending your friends is the true meaning being a warrior. And besides, you bested Lord Narcisse, the champion of San d'Oria… Twice!" The other Galka is laughing too.

"Hey what about me! I beat them up too! I made them scream really high and roll around in pain!"

Drogo looks up at Star and stares at her with an annoyed look on his face, "All you did was hit them in their peeing stick."

"You did?! What a good little girl!" Major Viki tosses her daughter in the air playfully. Star starts laughing. After a few times she holds Star up above her face and rubs their noses together, "You're a proud Mithra warrior just like your mommy aren't ya?"

Zelig cringes, "Ok… I'm a Galka… but even I think that's just wrong."

In the midst of this family moment, a Hume soldier comes in and salutes. "I have direct orders from the President Prien himself! Major Viki and the officers of the Copperhead Unit are to be escorted to the President's Offices at once to be interviewed by Senator Werner."

"What about me?" Zelig asks.

"Are you Private Zelig?" the messenger asks.

"Yes I am."

"Then you are to be escorted too."

Major Viki and Zelig hop down from the examining bench.

"Drogo, you need to watch over Star for a little longer, all right?" Zelig orders.

He nods.

"Now sweetie," Major Viki puts her daughter down and kneels next to her, "you need to be a very good girl while I'm gone. I'll be right back I promise. Ok?"

"Yes Mommy."

They are escorted out of the room. Star turns to Drogo and starts to cry.

Bearstar's mind drifts somewhere in the twilight. "You have a mysterious habit of showing up half dead at the crags, young lady." She knows that voice.

Bearstar jolts up thinking she's been recaptured somehow but finds herself in a Mhaura cottage cut into the cliff face. She looks and sees a man in his late forties or early fifties. It's the young doctor grown old.

"Where am I?"

"Safe in Mhaura," he walks over and gently pushes her down. "I don't know how you and the others are doing it, and I don't want to know…" he sits down, "… but thank you. If I hadn't lost my license and left Bastok I would have never met my wife or have my kids."

"Yeah! I rolled an eight," a little voice comes from the next room followed by a rush of shushing.

"You kids stop playing with your mother's and my dice!" He storms out.

Bearstar looks around and sees a corsair's hat on the table next to an old-looking but familiar glass bottle.

Content in her safety, she leans back into her pillow and drifts back asleep.


	5. Chapter 4:The Dark Shadow of the Goddess

**Chapter 4: The Dark Shadow of the Goddess**

As Zelig and Major Viki are escorted through the Metalworks, Zelig notices that it is being heavily guarded, even by Metalworks' standards.

"What's going on?" he asks.

"I don't know," one of their guards says.

"Whatever it is, it must have just happened," says the other.

A presidential aide runs to greet them, "Are these the remaining persons of interest from the confrontation?"

"Yes sir!" they both salute.

"There's been a change in plans. The president himself will be personally conducting the interrogations and not Senator Werner. Escort these two to the Presidential Chambers."

The guards are left staring at each other as the aide quickly runs off.

In the courtyard, Major Viki spots seven other Mithras under guard. "Arenk, Ka'ithle, what are you two doing here?"

"What curse have you brought on us!" one shouts, "We survived San d'Oria only for this to befall us!"

"That's enough out of you!" Arenk snaps. She turns to her sister, "The Hume Chieftainess has ordered all the leaders of us and the Elvaans here. Do you have any idea why?" she mocks sarcastically.

Major Viki glares at her, "No, I do not."

"They are just trying to figure out what happened," Zelig says, "Just stay calm and answer all the president's questions and things will be fine."

"Who is this 'president' everyone speaks of?" Major Viki asks.

"Don't feign innocence," another Mithra officer accuses, "You know very well it's the Hume word for Chieftainess."

"That's enough," Ka'ithle Anin walks between them, "Now is not the time to show division. We are at the mercy of a foreign power and our assailants will be here at any moment. Let's keep our claws retracted while we are in the presence of Bastok's High Council. We can't allow our emotions to sway her ruling against us."

"You should listen to her sisters," Major Viki comes forward, "We all know her family line."

The other women quiet themselves and glance nervously at each other.

A Hume soldier comes from the Presidential Office Building, "They are to be escorted in now."

As the others walk ahead of them, Zelig stays next to Major Viki looking at them sternly.

Major Viki smiles glancing at him. "He has good instincts and he's so covetous of me already," she thinks. She looks back ahead, "It would have been wrong for me to raise my voice. I just hope sister is as conniving as Mother or this won't end well."

Zelig glances down and sees her worried face, "Don't worry about a thing. Everything will be fine." He smiles.

They walk into the building. There are even more soldiers. The Hume turns around and points towards the office doors with his thumb, "All right now all the soldiers that has been guarding the Mithras go inside, the president is waiting." They walk off.

One of the Mithra officers tries to follow.

"Hold it right there!" he shouts. The other soldiers draw their weapons.

"But we were ordered to…"

"They were ordered inside not you! You'll have your turn soon enough."

She walks back to the group and watches him disappear though the door with the others. "Why are they going in without us?" she asks.

"Intelligence gathering," Ka'ithle Anin says crossing her arms, "They have been listening to us argue this whole time and now they are reporting what they heard before we are questioned. Standard tactic."

The woman all glance at each other nervously. Major Viki takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. Arenk watches her intensely, then suddenly pulls her gaze aside. Zelig is returning her intense stare with his own. Arenk bares her fangs silently.

After about ten minutes, they file out of the room. The Hume soldier from before comes over, "Alright then. It's their turn."

They come into the room and see only men in the room to their surprise.

"Wait, where is the Chieftainess?" Ka'ithle Anin asks.

The man in Adaman armor rises from behind the large desk. "I am the President of Bastok. My name is Prien."

"A male?" Arenk says. Some of the women snarl.

Prien waves his hand, "Stay your hands men."

He sits back down, "I am told that Windurst has been ruled exclusively by women since its founding a thousand years ago. I understand your surprise at seeing a man in my position." He folds his hands on his desk, "But let us move past this cultural impasse and get down to business." His face hardens, "There have been many casualties today within the walls of my city. Some are still fighting for their lives as we speak. Now what in Goddess' name happened today!"

He glances around the women, "Which one of you is Major Viki?"

"I am," she steps forward and extends her hand, "Pleased to meet you."

A guard slaps her hand away, "How dare you!"

Major Viki steps back startled rubbing her wrist.

"Hold soldier!" Prien shouts, "If they didn't know I was a man then why to you think they would know proper protocol?"

"My apologies, your Excellency," the soldier bows.

"My apologies, your Excellency," Major Viki mimics him perfectly.

Prien nods. "Now then," he begins, "I want to hear your side of things," he looks at the other women and puts his hand up at Major Viki, "I am well aware of your situation in this Major. I want to hear the others first."

"Your situation?!" rages one of the women.

Ka'ithle Anin steps between them, "Mind yourselves women! Male of not we are in the presents of Bastok's Chieftainess! Behave accordingly."

The woman huffs and looks away.

"I'd listen to her if I were you," Arenk says. She sits down legs under her, hands on her lap. The other women sigh and follow suit. But Major Viki remains standing.

"Ladies please stand up," President Prien says, "I understand the gesture, but in Bastok we stand."

They all rise to their feet, some grumbling to themselves.

"Now then, which one of you are Captains Arenk and Caithleann?"

"I am Arenk," she answers.

Ka'ithle bows, "My name is said Ka'ithle Anin Male Chieftainess. And I am she."

"Then I assume correctly that the rest of you women are the lieutenants of the Copperheads?"

"Yes they are," Arenk says sternly crossing her arms. The others look at her nervously then hang their heads in silence.

The president studies the group. "All right then, Captain Arenk. Let's begin with you. What is your statement about today's incident?"

"The Elvaans confronted our warriors accusing us of helping a fugitive they are searching for. When our girls denied it, they attacked us."

"And that statement goes for the rest of you?" he looks at the other women.

They all nod in silence.

He turns back to Arenk, "And do you know why they thought you guilty of hiding this person?"

Arenk glares at Prien, her face full of spite. "Because that creature is a friend of my sister's," she says bitterly.

He turns to Major Viki, "Then this is a natural segway into your testimony Major. What do you have to say?"

"While in Windurst, my daughter heard a Mithra woman singing and came to fetch me. When she saw me, the woman collapsed. When she awoke she said I resembled her dead mother so she fainted thinking me a ghost. Since then she has made a habit of seeking me out. Even to the point of following our unit on our march. While in San d'Oria, she was arrested and was sentenced to death. We all thought she was long dead until today. Apparently she escaped."

"Major, I know full well that the White Mage that was with you matches the description…"

"I knew it!" the lieutenant from before screams the charging forward.

Before the soldiers can restrain her, Major Viki waves her hand. The woman collapses instantly to the ground, like a great hand had swatted her. Arenk casts Erase.

"Sister, are you mad?" She kneels down to help the coughing warrior up, "A gravity spell on your own women?"

"Mages!" several of the soldiers shout at once. All of them draw their weapons.

Zelig raise his arms to protect the women, "Everyone please just stop!"

"Hold your positions!" Prien shouts. The soldiers stand their ground.

"What have you done this time Viki?" Arenk says lifting the woman to her feet.

"It was the both of you actually," Prien says.

Arenk looks at him surprised.

"Neither of you are classified as mages in your files. If you were, stronger precautions would have been made for my protection. Now why are your records falsified?" he demands.

"We Mithras have no need for talking leaves. Make your accusations to the Tarutaru."

"Talking leaves?" Prien asks confused.

"Sir, permission to speak," Zelig salutes, "I think I may know the error."

"Proceed," Prien stares at Zelig.

"Traditionally Mithras call themselves "warriors" no matter what fields they are trained in, even magic. But here in Bastok, "Warrior" is a very narrow fighting style. I think this in the source of the confusion."

Prien sighs. "Over a hundred files…" he mutters.

"Your Excellency?" asks an aide.

He looks back up at the Mithras, "Ladies, when you are released from here you will go straight to your units accompanied by soldiers and scribes. You and every one of you subordinates must list every weapon they are proficient at and every spell they know. We must correct this oversight immediately."

A soldier comes into the room interrupting the meeting. He salutes, "Sir we've finished gathering the Elvaan commanders but only one is fit enough to be interrogated. The rest are still in serious condition and one fatality."

"Who is the one you have brought then?" Prien scowls.

"It is Lord Narcisse D Evanglemagne, their supreme commander. His broken leg is fully mended and was his only serious injury."

"Then bring him in," he orders. After he leaves, President Prien sees the furious faces on the Mithras, including Arenk and Major Viki. "You women recognize his name?"

Before anything can be said, Lord Narcisse is led into the room.

"Wait. Where are my other men?! They were supposed to be here!" he demands from one of his guards.

"They're all still sleeping in bed like little babes," mocks one of the Mithras, "Guess the big bad Elvaans aren't as tough as you pretend. No wonder all your 'warriors' died at La Thiene." She puts her hands on either side of her head and uses air quotes around the word "warrior". She then sticks out her tongue.

"How dare you you worthless woman!" he screams as soldiers rush to restrain him. "Where is she?! Where are you hiding Bearstar!" They wrestle him to his knees pulling his arms behind him. "What have you done with the heretic?!"

"How dare you you worthless male!" screams another, "We have committed no sin by adding that creature!" The soldiers now swarm the Mithras.

A struggle ensues.

Zelig grabs Major Viki and pulls her away. Ka'ithle Anin follows them and stands with her against the wall peeking around Zelig's large frame at the scene.

"Then you admit your guilt in helping her escape!" Lord Narcisse shouts above the chaos.

"We have committed no Sin! Get that through your thick head!" she screams again.

"And how could we!" shouts a third, "We marched the day after her arrest! We all thought you burned her at the stake long ago until you tried to kill us!"

"And you can have her! Any Altanan should have their tails hacked off to match the rest of your asses!" Arenk screams raising her fist over the heads of the soldiers trying to separate them.

"Alright I've had enough of this! Get the Mithras out of here, and proceed with my earlier orders. Zelig you stay here," orders President Prien.

The Mithras are dragged from the room. Major Viki turns to watch Zelig as she is led away. Prien watches them lock eyes with each other until the slamming door severs their gaze. Zelig turn back to President Prien hanging his head.

Lord Narcisse and President Prien glare at each other. Prien is angry but composed but Lord Narcisse's face is contorted by uncontrollable rage.

"Look Narcisse," Prien begins, "This is Bastok, not San d'Oria. You will leave the law to _my police_ and _my courts_." He stands so hard his chair falls backwards. "Now if your or any of your men ever pull a stunt like this again, _I'll make sure all of your necks will be getting new rope neckties._ DO WE HAVE AN _UNDERSTANDING?!_" Prien slams his fists into his desk.

"Your meaning is perfectly clear," Lord Narcisse says slowly, biting his tongue.

Prien points at the door, "Good, now leave the premises at once and return to your barracks!"

A soldier tries to put his hand on Lord Narcisse's shoulder but is slapped away, "Don't touch me you filthy swine!" He storms out of the room leaving the soldiers chasing after him.

Lord Narcisse exits the Metalworks. A soldier throws his sword belt after him. It clanks as it bounces and skids across the stones. He leans down and picks it up.

"Tell me something Temple Knight. How can a person who views his whole purpose dedicated to the glory of a female deity be so vile towards females?"

Lord Narcisse stands and turns to face his accuser. It is Bluegollum, leaning against a nearby wall with his arms crossed.

"I'd watch my step, peasant. Do you not know to whom you are addressing?"

"I know exactly to whom I am addressing. You're Lord Narcisse D Evanglemagne, from one of the most powerful noble families in all of San d'Oria. Several queens and Papsques have been selected over the centuries from your house. Although the last queen was back before even the War King's time. It is now you who marry princesses."

"And yet you show disrespect, knave."

"Tell me something else your lordship then," he mockingly bows, "How can you and your men disavow female bravery on the battlefield so when so many women have fought with honor and valor?"

"A woman's place is at her husband's feet, not on the battlefield. If I had my way every woman would be stripped of their armor and chained to the manor, like a dog to a tree."

"You compare woman to dogs?" Bluegollum chuckles.

"At least a dog uses its tongue to welcome its master home, instead of being a fly to the ear."

"I have known plenty of dogs that make their voices heard."

"Nothing a rod cannot correct in either case," Lord Narcisse boasts squaring his shoulders.

Bluegollum leans back against the wall and continues his query, "It was quite the scandal wasn't it? When your wife left. She was one of the most beautiful and pious women in all of San d'Oria. Most women squirm at the thought of an arranged marriage but she fulfilled her duty with reverence."

"That woman is no saint to be honored. I look forward to fulfilling my sacred mandate of executing her myself when she is captured. She deserves it to the fullest for her crimes."

Bluegollum escalates his mocking musings, "She was a stunning beauty wasn't she, Lady Altanette, with her heavy makeup. She was so modest about it too. But she was still so alluring with that silk veil covering her face wasn't she?"

"You are treading on the verge of blasphemy rogue."

"Speaking of blasphemy, I wonder what could have possibly driven her to break her wedding vows and flee the kingdom with young Artmael?"

"There is no excuse or mercy for a woman who leaves her husband. It's the same crime as a soldier deserting the Holy Army of Altana after pleading his life and soul to Her service. To steal a child is no different. It desecrates the vows of baptism and jeopardizes the babe's eternal soul by being raised under such a diabolical heresy."

"From my understanding your son also covered himself as did his mother?"

"Scripture says purification is like a cleansing fire wiping away the old and turning the ground ripe for new growth. Children must be cleansed of their frailties to transform them into everlasting stone monuments to Her greatness, like the Great Crags themselves."

"I'm well aware of your house's reputation for zealotry, Evanglemagne. Generational names like 'prince of stone' in honor of the Goddess are just a small symptom of your family's arcane understanding of scripture, or total lack there of."

He draws his sword and places it on Bluegollum's shoulder touching his neck, "If you have information concerning the criminal's whereabouts Ninja, confessions bring salvation to the soul."

Bluegollum calmly raises his left arm and using the metal plate on the back of his hand pushes the sword aside, "Didn't the President just warn you about drawing your sword knight? You forget you hold no jurisdiction here."

Lord Narcisse is inflamed but the thought of the president's words stay his hand. He sheathes his blade. "When we interrogated a man for thievery after trying to get my family's property appraised, he confessed to being a low level member of Tenshodo and that Altanette had stolen the gems to bribe her way onto a smuggler's vessel."

"I know that," interrupts Bluegollum angrily, "and you executed both him and the owners and employees of the shop plus some family members though they claimed innocence of doing business with Tenshodo. They even pleaded that they were the ones that turned him in when the thought that the jewelry might be stolen."

Bluegollum couches his anger and recrosses his arms with a mocking grin, "I wouldn't worry all that much about the safety of your former wife and son. They are more than likely still safe within the arms of the Tenshodo living very happily. You can rest well assured that you will never see them again." He starts to laugh condescendingly as Lord Narcisse storms off.

Back in the Presidential Chambers, Prien motions towards a chair and Zelig sits down. "Private Zelig when I found out that you where involved in this matter I examined your record and I was surprised to find it completely exemplary. Under different circumstances you would be up for a promotion. I want to know how you became involved in this mess."

"The Mithra in question helped me carry a good friend to the Infirmary. I met her again while assisting in preparing that birthday party that turned into that impromptu festival. I met her a third time when she accompanied the patrol and suffered an asthma attack along with Major Viki and I brought them to the Infirmary. With the chaos at the time from the Knights' rampage the three of us assisted the effort at the hospital to the best of our ability."

"I am aware of the circumstances. The Mithra's cousin mentioned a Galka in black armor told her about a healer capable of this feat. Do you know his identity?"

"Yes, he is a Windurstian Galka named Gamesage. He is a member of the Cobra Unit."

"Gamesage? Really? He's been a great hero in this war," he says surprised, "But wait, Gamesage is a mage not a warrior."

"Gamesage is just as skilled with a sword as he is with a casting staff. He is also the Bard and Dancer that performed at the festival."

President Prien has a shocked look on his face, "Most people dedicate their entire lives to a single art and never reach the level of mastery he has gained in multiple fields of battle. How is he involved in this?"

"She is also a Cobra."

The president has a disturb look on his face. "She isn't that Bearstar is she?"

Zelig nods.

"Are the knights aware of whom they are targeting?"

"I don't know."

"Private Zelig, what do you know of this heresy that she is wanted for?"

"I honestly don't know. I'm not hiding anything."

Prien looks down at his hands. He taps his fingers as he thinks. "Then Major Viki did not introduce you two?"

"No sir."

"And Bearstar did not introduce you to Major Viki?"

"No sir," he answers again.

"Then how did you to meet? You seem close?"

"We met at the festivities. Our personalities have just meshed I guess."

"I see," he says looking up. "Then were you disobeying orders about not participating in the festivities?"

Zelig face turns to fear. "No. No. No," he begs, "Major Viki was involved in an arrest I performed. She broke up a fight before my unit could respond in time."

"I was not aware of this," he scowls.

"I doubt a minor incident like that would have made it very far up the command chain," Zelig says nervously.

"And then what happened afterwards?" Prien demands.

"I followed her briefly after her statement was taken and she was released, then I stood guard over Gamesage's musical performance."

"And then the only other contact with her was today at the Infirmary?"

"Yes Sir."

"Then how do you know so much about Mithran culture that you would know the word 'warrior' is a false cognate?"

"Major Viki and I were confined in the same room since the surgery. We have been talking all day."

"That should not have happened. I will need to discus that with the Military Police." President Prien straightens himself in his chair, "Private, using what you have learned from Major Viki, what was your take on the argument that just happened?"

Zelig face draws a blank, "I… I was more focused on protecting the women that actually listening, but from what I heard I think the word 'sin' that triggered it may also be a false cognate."

"Private I mean this as no slight towards your people," he begins, "But you are very articulate. Beyond what would be expected for your civilian background as a simple fishmonger."

"My childhood caretaker always stressed good grammar. He believed the only way to a Hume's respect was matching him mind to mind and not sword to sword."

Prien nods, "I remember that quote from my schooling. Wise Tongue said that over three centuries ago, did he not?"

Zelig nods, "Yes he did. I wish he was here today…" Zelig says unable to hide his emotion.

"That will be all," President Prien waves his hand and Zelig is escorted from the room. "Oh and Private…"

"Yes sir?" Zelig asks turning around from leaving.

"If I were you, I would avoid the Mithras… If I valued my career that is."

"Yes your Excellency," Zelig salutes, then is escorted away.

Prien leans back in his chair, "The elite Cobras vs. the Temple Knights," he thinks, "This could break the Alliance."

"Your orders Sir?" an aide asks.

"Find that report about that arrest and question the soldiers involved. The private was hiding something. I want to know what."

As Zelig makes his way from the Metalworks, the sun is getting lower in the sky. His stomach rumbles loudly. Zelig puts his hand on his torso as if in pain. "I better see if there is still food left in the mess hall," he thinks. Zelig begins to walks off.

Suddenly he hears loud cussing from within. He steps aside as Lord Narcisse is dragged out of the Metalworks and thrown into the street. He storms off again. The Galkas clap their hands to shake loose the filth.

"For one of the most pious men in San d'Oria he has a mouth that would embarrass the Shadow Lord himself," one says turning back in.

Zelig comes up behind them, "Forgive me brothers, but what just happened?"

The other Galka turns around, "Someone switched out his sword and took it as a war prize. President Prien has us all looking for it," then he laughs, "Personally if I come across the one who did it I'll toss it in the harbor then buy him a beer!"

Towards sunset, Bluegollum is skipping rocks at the harbor. As he throws the stones he grunts angrily. There is a murderous rage in his eyes.

"Pardon me if I am disturbing you…" a voice comes from behind.

He turns around and sees the old Foreman holding his hat nervously. "Oh it's you," Bluegollum calms his face, "State your business."

"First answer me this. Are you the Ninja that snuck into the president's office earlier today?"

"Where did you hear of this?" he asks.

"Some people that I do business with overheard the San d'Orians complaining over supper about it."

"What is your connection with this if it actually happened?"

"I am in need of such a man for a proposition," the Foreman says.

Bluegollum nods. They leave the dock and head towards the warehouse district.

At the barracks, the Tyrian Wolves lick their wounds.

"I can't believe all of you were defeated by a single rat!" Lord Narcisse yells.

"That was no Galka," protests a knight, "That creature called himself a demon, and I believe it to be true."

"He's right," another says, "No living moral can possess such power."

"Dark Knights are an evil society. They are no better than vampires who feed off their victims," Lord Narcisse says. "I have faced them before in combat. They will drain the very life force from your body and turn it against you."

"But what about what the president said?" asks another, "What are we to do?"

Lord Narcisse turns to the knight, "There is no need to worry about that. Prien can be dealt with easily enough. The real concern here is the Tenshodo. If they have gained so much power here in Bastok that they stroll leisurely to and fro in the open, then they are the real problem standing in the way of bringing divine retribution to this Mithra."

"You think they are the ones behind that prison break?" another asks.

Lord Narcisse glances at him, "There is no doubt in my mind."

"You Elvaan really are a pathetic race," a female voice says.

They all draw their weapons instinctively. "Show yourself!" several shout at once.

A Mithra steps out from a closet.

"You!" Lord Narcisse shouts pointing, "You're the one from the President's Office! What is your business here woman!" He puts the tip of his blade to her chin.

"Wait! Lord Narcisse, this is the informant from San d'Oria," says a Myrmidon.

Lord Narcisse looks at the Mithra shocked, "You? Really?"

"Yes I am. My name is Arenk Sayma, second in command to the Copperhead Mercenaries."

Lord Narcisse sheathes his sword, "You come with information I assume?"

"I come with a request."

"Then speak you're request," he orders.

"I have always have suspicions but this past few months have only confirmed to me that my older sister Major Viki is an Altanan. I want my sister dealt with properly."

"We cannot kill an innocent who has turned to salvation," protests a knight.

"I assume that adding and abetting a fugitive is a crime in both our countries? She has taken an active role in protecting this Bearstar. And besides I'm sure under interrogation you will find more than enough grounds to kill her."

"What do you mean by that?" Lord Narcisse asks.

"From my understanding, your race and the Tarutaru have fought many violent wars of genocide over the millennia about your divergent worship practices. I'm sure a race of your zealotry will be able to find ample flaws in her logic that constitute a capital offence."

"Why do you turn over your own sister to the fiery stake?" a knight asks shocked at her cold-heartedness.

"Any Mithra who turns to Altana is a traitor to her kind. I hate to think of her motives, but the Grand Matriarch has forbidden the taking of justice against these miscreants. But even if I could act on my own, what sweeter justice can there be that for them to be killed by the very same people they betrayed us for? And besides I must rescue my niece."

"What do you mean by that?" Lord Narcisse asks.

"I do not know why, but the Living Mother as chosen to curse me with sons but give a daughter to my sister. I refuse to allow our family's honor to die in the death grip of Altana."

"Your niece is dying from my understanding, why not just lay with your husband like a good woman instead of wasting your efforts on a corpse?" a knight asks.

"She is only dying because my sister is poisoning her with her demonic aura. Striping her from her bosom won't just save her live but also save her soul as well."

"What if the babe cannot be swayed from Altana's grasp?" a Myrmidon asks.

"Nothing a stern hand won't accomplish. Your Altana as destroyed my sister's warrior spirit. Her gentleness has left my niece vulnerable to demonic influence. She must be saved or lost forever."

"No. What you are really asking us to do is to condemn your niece not save her!"

"You forget Myrmidon," Lord Narcisse says, "The Mithras are unable to attain salvation in the first place. Or have you forgotten the late Gwenael?"

"Nor do we want it, Elvaan," adds Arenk.

Lord Narcisse turns and points at some of his men, "You ten, go and retrieve Major Viki at once and bring her here. Take all measures necessary to bring her here still conscious so we can break her into confession."

"Yes Sir!" they all salute.

Arenk moves quickly and bars the door.

"Move woman! I thought you wanted justice served?" one of the knights yells.

"Tell me something first. How is it that your race hunts?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Lord Narcisse scoffs walking up.

"Just answer my question and I will tell you its relevance."

"We release the hounds into the woods. They flush out their prey then drive them into our bows and swords," he answers.

Arenk laughs. "No wonder you are so helpless!"

"How dare you insult…" starts one of the knights.

"Just shut up and listen! The Mithra do not act so overtly. We lay a trap and wait silently and patiently for our prey. Were you not just talking about President Prien's orders? What do you think the Humes will do to the lot of you if you act in such a blatant fashion?"

The knights glance at each other.

"Then what do you suggest?" Lord Narcisse asks crossing his arms.

"Have one of you medics pose as a civilian doctor come to Bastok to help. Infiltrate the Infirmary and lay in wait. Bearstar is too benevolent for her own good. She will show herself again."

Lord Narcisse nods, "Men cancel those orders. Make sure the hallway is clear so this Mithra can leave without notice."

"Yes Sir!" they salute again and enter the hallway.

After a time one waves to come out. Arenk strolls confidently into the hallway and disappears.

In the depths of the Warehouse District, Bluegollum and the Foreman sit down at a small table in a dimly lit room.

"What is your proposition?" Bluegollum asks.

"I need protection with a vital shipment that will be coming in shortly. My small ships will be meeting a ship coming directly from Norg herself. It will take several runs to complete the unload."

"You have concerns about the Bastok Navy?"

"No. I have concerns about the Sahagins. A man as fearless as you is what we desperately need. There can be no mistake with this," the Foreman pleads with a hint of desperation in his voice.

"What is the cargo?"

"Food for the populous and gunpowder and munitions for the Military. Since the Sahagin blockade the Tenshodo has been secretly the main supplier for some time now. With things as they are, no one complains or questions when the supplies last longer than expected."

Bluegollum stands up, puts his hands together and bows. "It will be my honor to help with this shipment."

The Foreman stands up as well, "Good! Glad to hear it." He extends his hand to shake, "We could always use an extra hand. If you know anyone as talented as you are we'd be glad to have them."

Bluegollum nods, "I know some people who I know will help."

"Splendid. May I ask your codename so I can keep track of everyone on this crew?"

"It's Bluegollum."

"Ah, that's a unique one. I won't ask about it though. The shipment is due in the next few days, depending on that nasty storm off the coast."

"It hasn't turned into a hurricane yet has it?" Bluegollum asks.

"Oh no, don't worry. Still a wee bit early in the season before we have to worry about one of those monsters. And besides, they never come to shore here in Bastok. Not even in a Galka's age," he laughs. "You're not from around here are you?" he adds.

"Nope grew up in Norg, but nowadays I live in Windurst," Bluegollum answers, "but you never know, the sea can be a cruel mistress."

Bluegollum walks over the drawbridge into the residential district. He finds his wife sitting on the bed reading a book in her slip. The only light in the room is the hurricane lamp on the nightstand. Firewing is curled up sleeping on the floor, his little body rising and falling as he breathes.

"Hey darling," she says. "You're back late." She puts her book down.

"I was just given a mission from the Tenshodo."

"I thought you were going to avoid getting involved back here."

"This one is vitally important to your safety," he says undressing.

"What do you mean by that?" she says annoyed.

"The job is to run supplies for the military here. They're running low on gunpowder and munitions."

Blueice gets up and helps him undress. "And what does this have to do with my safety?"

Bluegollum turns to his wife and kisses her. He runs his fingers through her long blonde hair. "Think about it, if Bastok were to fall then we'd never have the chance to meet and fall in love." He kisses her again. Bluegollum then leans down and finishes taking off his pants.

"Good point on that one. I forgot about that," she says sitting back on the bed.

"They are still gathering members for the run. Bastok's Tenshodo branch is putting everything it has into this."

"Let me guess, you volunteered me, right?"

"No, I just said I knew of people to ask."

"I'll have to take Firewing home and grab my great katana then."

"It won't be for a few days because of a storm." He looks at her a little scared, "It's not that…"

She shakes her head as he's talking, "No, we don't have to worry about it yet. We still have lots of time."

"Good, cause I do not want to be here when it does." He looks back down at his feet, "You should grab your knuckles too, a long sword may not be the best for fighting on smaller boats."

Now only in his long johns, he joins her on the bed. She hugs him leaning her head and his shoulder. She has a big smile on her face.

"What are you thinking?" he asks playfully as he begins to rub the small of her back with his right hand. She giggles and moans softly. She begins to massage the back of his ear and down his neck. "I'm just thinking about how I found such a wonderful prince in my life."

Bluegollum kisses her twisting the tips of their tongues together. He moves his left hand up her thigh, slips it under her underwear and caresses her clitoris. Bluegollum pulls from the kiss to talk, "Well, you wanna?" he says smiling.

Blueice nods and leans back laughing. Bluegollum crawls up to her, slips his arms under her slip and pushes up her breasts. He pulls the slip over her head and they kiss each other passionately. As she runs her hands thought his hair, grabbing at his neck, and massaging is back firmly, he moves his hands slowly down her back. He gently pulls down her panties, then pulls her firmly to him by the small of her back. She spreads her legs. He reaches down with his right hand to undo the buttons of his long johns but fumbles. He leans back to look at what he's doing.

"You goof, what are you doing?" giggles Blueice.

Bluegollum sits up, "Wait a sec," looks down and unbuttons his crotch. "Ok where were we?" he says as he repositions himself.

"Artie" she says as the start to kiss again.

He grabs her legs and forces her hips into him. He begins to slip into her.

The racket has woken up Firewing. He lifts his long neck and yawns. He looks at the bed and cocks his ears forward listening. He gets up stretching like a cat and walks over to the bed. He pokes his head up over the side then jumps up nuzzling his way in between them.

"Gah! Firewing you're not helping!" Bluegollum yells.

Blueice puts her right hand on her forehand in disbelief and laughs hysterically, "Holy Dawn."


	6. Chapter 5: Drogo the Demon

**Chapter 5: Drogo the Demon**

Gamesage is the first out the gate. He witnesses a battle in full swing, with a group of Adventurers hopelessly outnumbered backed against the cliffs while mobs of Beastmen funnel past them unencumbered. He draws his scythe and charges, hacking and slashing through the battalions.

Zazarg is next, followed by his men, including a young soldier. They press towards the stranded Adventurers. Suddenly something catches the Praefectus' eye, and he turns to look. The Galkan Dark Knight from the city has stripped a Quadav he just felled of its great sword and in a single stroke, spins around and cleaves the neck of another then stabs a third before leaving the blade in its corpse and returning to his scythe. Zazarg quickly regains his composer, but finds himself staring at him periodically.

The soldiers finally break the line and charge to rescue the Adventurers. The young soldier, maybe eighteen at most, joins the fray and discovers the party is composed entirely of Elvaans, their sharp ears protruding from their helms.

"You're a greenhorn aren't you?" one asks parrying a strike aimed at his head.

"Now's not the time for critiquing technique, Elvaan!" he shouts returning the parry with his own.

The two join their backs together and lend their shields to protect the other. He notices the voice of his new companion is high pitched, but attributes it to youth because of his height.

A towering Elvaan in Adaman Armor steals the show on the battlefield, a tall feat in the company of legends. The soldier looks up at him just in time to see a Quadav club strike him from behind. His helmet rolls and stops at his feet.

He parries one last time and runs over to the bleeding knight. His partner leans back expecting to be supported but only stubbles backwards and falls on his behind. A sword swings just missing his head as he tumbles.

The soldier reaches the unconscious Paladin, "Sir Knight? Sir Knight? Can you hear me?" He carefully turns him over and sees blood red smeared around his mouth. He takes his gloves off to feel for breath. Suddenly he yanks his hand away, feeling the "blood" in his fingers… lipstick.

"Ami! Ami!" his partner comes sliding into them like a runner to a base. He takes off his helmet… pigtails. "Ami! Ami! Open your eyes! Ami!" she cries.

"You're a girl!" he shouts in disbelief.

Another knight jumps over the three of them and flying kicks a Quadav that had his sword raised behind them.

"Well aren't you being observant…" a voice whispers.

"Ami!"

She smiles faintly, crooked to the left. She moans as her tries to move.

"Ami don't struggle just stay down for now 'til we get a proper mage."

"…We are all women here… in the Atropos Sisterhood."

Dark ominous shadows begin to circle on the ground.

"Oh no, have the buzzards come already? That's bad luck," laments the soldier.

Suddenly a barrage of arrows comes out of nowhere leaving wounded Beastmen in its wake.

They descend.

Wyverns, by the dozens. But their silhouettes don't look right in the late morning sun.

The wiz of an arrow and the thud of metal come from behind them. They turn to witness a Quadav fall on his back with an arrow piercing his chest.

"You two need to watch yourselves!" shouts the unmistakable voice of a Taru from above.

They look and see a wyvern circling above. It banks hard right revealing a Taru with a crossbow.

He fires again then places his hand to his ear, "Man down! Man down! We need a raise and medical attention, mark my location on the map. Someone in Adaman Armor."

"Taru Rangers on dragon back, I've never even heard of such a thing," says the soldier gobsmacked.

The knight in pigtails claps her hands in prayer, "And he rode upon a pale horse…" she whispers.

"A pale horse? You mean Odin, Lord of the Dead?" he asks.

"If only our enemies where so lucky…" she weeps with joy.

Boulders begin to crash from the cliff face.

"Well it's about time," says the Dark Knight.

Zazarg, who has found himself back to back to the mysterious Galka, looks up at the cliffs. At the top of Zegham Hill, he sees a row of people of all races in weird looking blue and green mages garb, alternating with brown men even too burly to be Galkas throwing rocks down the cliffs. As the wyverns twist and turn like dog-fighting fighter jets above, high-pitched rilled cries like a straining steam engine pierce the ears.

Over the hill they come like a flooding waterfall, charging Adventurers sliding down the steep face, the Mithras among them screaming their war cries.

A rilling Dragoon in purple and silver armor catches a glimpse of the soldier and the two women in his landing spot with seconds to spare. At the last moment, he does a summersault off the cliff over their ducking heads and High Jumps a Quadav, jamming his pike down through the gap between its collar bone and its shell. A hole the size of half-dollar.

As it falls backwards, its companions rush in thinking he's now unarmed. The soldier reaches for his sword to defend the Dragoon only to use it to shield his face from the spray of blood. As he peeks over his arm, he sees him holding a bloody great katana.

Watching him rill, chirp and yell, the soldier decides that "he" is one of the Mithras. After a few more kills, she runs over.

"You're missing your tail!" he screams pointing.

She takes of her helm revealing a blonde ponytail. "I never had one to begin with," she says ruffling though her bag.

"I know you!" the Elvaan says, "You're the Demolitionist's wife, Lady…"

"The only blood that matter's to an Adventurer is the blood on our blades," she interrupts. The female Hume Dragoon pulls out an earring and a flask of liquid.

The Elvaan stops her when she tries to put the earing on Ami, "Wait, where is the Seraphim?"

"She's in surgery, you're gonna have to settle for a reraise earring and an elixir for your sister," the Dragoon tells her looking in her eyes.

She nods and the treatment of Ami's wounds begins.

As Ami is sat up against the cliff coughing from getting some of the elixir in her lungs from it being poured down her throat, the Dragoon turns to the soldier, "You've done well, please return to the field. We have this."

He nods and grabs his sword and shield.

A few minutes later he can hear the Dragoon shouting behind him somewhere, "Come on ladies! Let's show our lazy husbands what their barefoot wives can do with our kitchen knives!"

The soldiers and Adventurers manage to stall the Beastmen assault but the pressure from the weight of the advance is intense.

"We need to stop them at the ramp!" Zazarg shouts over the chaos.

The Dark Knight leaves his side unexpectedly and runs towards some crates near the tower. He takes a long rope and ties it around his legs and middle like a belaying harness.

"Are you planning to be lowered down? That rope isn't long enough and it leaves you and the lowerer completely exposed! Cut the cord and return to the fight."

"I know what I'm doing!" he shouts. The Dark Knight then ties it to one of the trees in the cliff face.

"What are you doing?" Praefectus Zazarg shouts, "I gave you a direct order!"

The Galka walks the rope taut then takes off full speed parallel to the precipice. Then he turns and jumps over the side.

He swings full force into the ramp, knocking Quadavs off as he goes. He swings his scythe slicing the rope and crushing a helm in a single stroke. A Quadav raises his sword from behind. The Dark Knight turns and throws him from the ramp. He turns his second stolen sword broadside and uses it to bulldoze the Beastmen into the valley below.

"Someone help him!" Zazarg screams.

"I got it!" A red-clad Ninja runs towards the edge and jumps off, "Time to end with a bang! Mijin Gakure!" He detonates right as he lands on top of the Quadavs below, laughing joyously at his last act. Many Quadavs caught completely off guard tumble backwards pushing others off with them.

Many of the soldiers who are near enough to witness it are also stunned. The young soldier hits his knees, "…That man…just killed himself…laughing?"

He hears the sound of crunching bones directly behind him and looks to see Praefectus Zazarg pulling his adargas from the eye slot of a Quadav's helm.

Zazarg turns and looks down at the kneeling young man, "Pay attention soldier!" and runs off.

Down in the valley, the soldier's sword becomes jammed in the armor of a wounded Quadav. Another runs up behind him screaming to avenge his friend. He ducks screaming for his mommy. But the finishing blow never comes. He looks up and sees the Quadav screaming in pain grasping at his helm. Next he sees it fall backwards blood gusting from its throat. Almost as a mirage, he catches sight of his savior pulling his Nagi from its neck.

The red ninja then pulls the Beastman's helm off revealing two shurikens wedge neatly through the eye slots. He kneels down trying to pull them from its face.

"It's you!" the soldier screams in disbelief.

"Well that's a nice thank you for saving your ass," chuckles the red Ninja.

The soldier just points and stutters, "…You…You…You fell… of the cliff…and blew you…self up…You fell of the cliff and blew yourself up. YOU FELL OFF A CLIFF AND BLEW UP!"

The Ninja stands unable to free the last shuriken, "Yep I did," he point's his Nagi in his face, "And it was fun too. You should try it sometime. Dying is a thrilling experience. Nothing like it. Wish I could do it more than every two hours!" He laughs so hard he trembles with glee.

The soldier just stares pale-faced, unable to respond when he hears a glutting sound of death behind him.

The red Ninja grimaces, "Man! Sage you were a little brutal there."

The frightened soldier turns around and his expression turns to pure terror. A Quadav stands behind them dead or nearly so, but not under its own power. The Dark Knight stands there with his scythe, but only the shaft is visible. The entirety of the blade is inside of the gargling Beastman.

He twirls the blade once more for good measure severing the heart and lungs. He then allows it to fall on its back. He puts his foot on the breastplate and gives a good pull, yanking the blade from between its cup and its leg armor— the entry point.

"Just because you don't have any doesn't mean you can do stuff like that you cold hearted brute!" the red Ninja screams. The Dark Knight laughs maniacally.

An argument ensues about the ethics of crotch shots in the middle of the chaotic battlefield. The bodies begin to pile up between them almost as an afterthought as the poor soldier kneels on the ground trapped between them. Finally he mentally cannot take it anymore.

"You Adventurers are all crazy!" he screams at the top of his lungs…

Zazarg slams his beer mug onto the table laughing in his usual way. The soldier stands up from his table and points screaming, "That's not funny! It was evil!" Some others in the mess hall start to laugh as well. The young soldier looks around trying to find sympathy, but gets little.

"You should be more respectful to the Praefectus recruit," says an offended officer.

"Oh leave the grunt alone," Zazarg orders chuckling, "I can guarantee you were just as squeamish your first time too."

"I'm no grunt, I volunteered before the war even started," the young soldier says proudly.

"Oh really?" Zazarg waves him over, "Come over here then and I'll buy you a beer!"

"No thank you. I don't drink sir," he says more formally.

"What you religious or something?" mocks another soldier.

The young soldier becomes furious, "No! My father was an alcoholic! The coward crawled into a bottle and died! He shamed our family and I will never dishonor our name like that ever!"

Zazarg turns unusually serious, "Then your family has a military tradition?"

"Yes sir! We have served with distinction for four generations."

"And your father served as well?"

"Yes he did until he turned to the bottle and was dishonorably discharged."

Zazarg stares at his mug thoughtfully, "I've been a soldier for a long time young man…And I have some advice for you…"

"Yes sir Praefectus," he salutes.

"Those who love the military as a lifestyle as I do serve with honor. And in spite all the jokes, many grunts find themselves if not for country but to save the lives of their friends. But in my experience, men and women who think they have something to prove, whether to themselves or to others, are the ones that get killed and get others killed. Leaving the military is no longer an option in this time of war, so I suggest you rethink your motivations."

Zazarg takes a sip of his beer as the young soldier storms out red faced.

"That was a little much don't you think?" the bartender asks.

"That young man needed to hear that. I can't keep saving him. He needs to pick it up or he's going to die."

"And I thought you couldn't get any worse," comes a high voice. An Elvaan takes of his helmet, revealing pigtails. She walks up to him and attempts to throw her drink in his face, but is stopped by the military police in the room.

"Let her go!" orders Zazarg, "As you Humes would say, 'Hell as no fury like a woman'."

In their hesitation, she shakes loose and storms out.

But it doesn't take long for Zazarg's laughing to break the following silence. He beats his hand on the table. "If I didn't know better…IF I DIDN'T KNOW BETTER! Ha HA!"

"If you didn't know what Praefectus?" another soldier asks.

"That Dark Knight! I'm glad I got it out of my system before we left the city otherwise I'd have been in trouble!"

"What about him?" asks another soldier.

He turns and sees that it is another young man, "Oh that's right!" He turns to see the other young faces in the mess hall, "All of you were born after…" he raises his hands to add emphasis to the name, "… 'The Demon's career ended!"

"'The Demon sir?" asks one of his men.

"The Demon's long since been reborn, but in his day he was a Dark Knight's Dark Knight. No one could ever touch him. Today everyone talks about Zeid, Five Moons, and the Darksteel Hurricane, but I'd bet on him against the three of them at once!"

"The Darksteel Hurricane? You mean that serial killer!"

The local conversation has now caught the attention of the entire mess hall.

"Yes I do, if the Demon had not already been reborn by then he would have been a suspect in that massacre. When things like that happened he was always on the short list of usual suspects but he never crossed that line to the surprise of almost everyone."

The other soldiers begin questioning him like a college professor giving a lecture.

"Why was he always on the short list?"

"He was brutish and calling him short-tempered was an understatement. He was completely unforgiving and cruel. That crotch shot with is scythe was one of his signature moves, but even if he didn't use it you could always tell a man he killed. He claimed that he came up with it to get around there thick shells but he thoroughly enjoyed castration. The San d'Orians where rather horrified at the disfiguring of their dead in the last war between us."

Many of the Humes grimace in horror and move their hands underneath the tables.

"How come we've never heard of him?" asks another.

"You may have actually. We gave him the nickname 'the Demon' as a compromise, because the name you Humes gave him was so offensive."

"What was the name?"

Zazarg takes a sip of his beer. "It was Promathia's Bane."

"Promathia? As in old Drogo from Port?" an older soldier chuckles.

"He was never one for authority," Zazarg continues, "If anything his superiors were more terrified of him than most because they knew him so well. If he had been more agreeable he may have made it into command. He was extremely smart, psychotic but smart. They decided to end his career and buried him on guard duty in Port."

The soldier smiles, "I knew him! He always drank with the sailors. My brother dragged me to a bar once to hear him. He would always sing when he was drunk. He had a wonderful voice."

"I heard he made a life for himself there but never knew much about it. Why don't you continue the story," asks Zazarg.

The old soldier stands up to address the room, "He was cruel and unforgiving, like the Praefectus said. But his personality fit perfectly with the men who worked the dock and was well liked. Usually soldiers and guards aren't very welcome but he was one of the few that were trusted. The darker the hole the more he comfortable he was." He starts to laugh, "The easiest way to tell a smuggler was asking his opinion of him. They were the only people who didn't like him!"

Most of the soldiers just stare at him in disbelief. He glances around the room. The expression is shared with almost everyone. "Look, don't look at me like I'm crazy. Ask Zelig when you see him. He was always with him, ever since he was young."

"Zelig! You must be joking how could a man like him be friends with someone nicknamed Promathia?"

"He's right," Zazarg says, "Even I know that much."

Everyone turns to the Praefectus in total shock.

"Zelig was always with Drogo. He and that one Hume boy where glued to him like shadows. And when that Hume grew up, his children where just as bad. They were always in trouble and getting in the way."

"We were never that bad."

Everyone turns to see Zelig standing in the door.

"We had our adventures that's true, but Drogo never minded us."

"Then it's true? That you were friends with this man!" a soldier asks.

Zelig clinches his fists. His eyes hide a muted rage. "Yes I was," Zelig answers sternly. "I've known him since I was nineteen."

"How did you meet him?" another asks.

Zelig can see his total disbelief shared with his Hume comrades. "I stole when I was a boy. Drogo caught me running away rather quickly."

"Then why are you still breathing!" several say at once.

"The family I stole from struck a deal. Instead of jail, I was to work for the family as a punishment. Drogo wasn't happy about him being assigned my monitor at first, but I grew on him." He stutters as he fights the tears, "He always called me his little thief," he whimpers barely audible.

"Is that really how you met Old Jacob?" the old soldier asks chuckling. Zelig smiles and nods, "Yes sir!" he salutes.

"At ease Private," he says walking up.

Zazarg laughs, "Old Jacob? Is that little runt of a sidekick of yours still alive?"

Zelig turns and salutes again, "Yes sir!"

Zazarg turns back to the bar and starts beating the table laughing.

The old soldier walks up and they shake hands, "We missed you on the battlefield today. Where were you?"

"I transported a Mithra who suffered an asthma attack on patrol to the Infirmary and ended up assisting the efforts there most of the afternoon. How's your arthritis holding up?"

He lets go of the handshake and rubs his hand, "Hurts like hell, but a Quadav's blade will hurt even worse I guess."

Zelig puts his hand on his shoulder, "This will all end soon enough. Just hold on a little longer."

Suddenly Zelig's stomach growls even louder than Zazarg's laughter catching everyone off guard.

"Let's give you something to eat," the old soldier says slapping his back.

Zelig gets some stares as he swallows his food whole without chewing. He gets some laughs from his small circle of friends.

"Man, you really are hungry," the old soldier says.

Zelig swallows just enough so he can be understood, "I haven't eaten since breakfast."

Another friend mocks him mimicking talking with his mouth full. Zelig slaps him in the arm. Everyone laughs.

Zelig swallows completely emptying his mouth this time, "Stop it you're gonna make me choke."

Zazarg turns around to face the room again, "Everyone! I have an order for you!"

Everyone stops talking and turns to him.

"I want all of you to track down that Galka Dark Knight. I want to buy him a beer!"

"A Dark Knight?" Zelig asks. "One with custom Chaos Armor with purple gems?"

Zazarg laughs, "Yes! You know him?"

Zelig nods, "Yes he's an Adventurer called Gamesage from Windurst."

"Gamesage? You mean that mage who is always with you?" a soldier not in his circle asks.

Zelig turns towards him, "Yes that's him."

"But he's a mage not a warrior," states another.

Zazarg interjects, "Dark Knights are one of two jobs that combine magic and combat, the other being Paladins. I'm not surprised at all that he has also taken up the scythe." Zazarg raises his arms, "Everyone! I want you to keep an eye out for Gamesage! And tell me when you find him. That man deserves a drink!"

Zelig looks around the room, "So what happened today?"

A soldier stands up pointing at him, "That crazy friend of yours jumped off a cliff and castrated a Quadav with his scythe!"

Zelig calmly takes a sip of his drink. "Why am I not surprised?" he thinks. He puts his drink down. "That sounds about right actually," he says.

The soldier sits down with a plop in disbelief.

"Zelig? How could you?" asks another.

"How could I what?"

"Be friends with people like that?"

"What do you mean, 'with people like that'?"

His friends start to scoot away from him seeing the look in his eyes. One even slips under the table.

"Like Promathia?"

…He said it.

Zelig slams his fists onto the table so hard they shake the cups and plates. He charges over the table knocking everything over. "Don't call him that! Never call him that!"

The other Galkas in the room grab him and pull him back just before Zelig reaches the cowering soldier.

"Don't call him that!" Zelig starts to cry as he's screaming, "Never call him that!" He is so enraged he slips into Galkan without realizing it. The Hume is so paralyzed his friends have to grab him and pull him away. In spite the mass of people, Zelig inches the pile forward screaming bloody murder.

Zelig almost says it, but stops mid-word like Gamesage did a few weeks earlier. The Galkas holding him are so shocked they let go and Zelig slips through them on pure momentum, but drops to his knees after clearing the pile. Zelig lies panting on the ground slightly pale. He puts his face in his hands. "I did not just say that, Please Altana I did not just say that," he thinks.

He looks up at the other Galkas looking for relief. But only his worst fears are realized. They are only glancing at each other then down at Zelig also looking for confirmation on whether their ears are playing tricks on them.

"I take that back you're just as completely crazy!" the soldier screams.

Zazarg tries to change the subject. "So how is our little chess champ doing?"

"Little Drogo? He's …having the time of his young life… with all his new friends," Zelig says, his shaking rattling his voice.

The Humes in the room and some of the Galkas all look at him. "Wait… our little chess champ was the Demon?" a Galka asks surprised.

Zelig nods as he stands up.

"Hmm, I did not know that…" the Galka says.

"That's impossible!" a Hume says, "My nephew plays with him. There is no way that that boy could ever have been such a creature!"

Zelig turns and glares at the Hume. Not as diabolic as either Drogo or Major Viki, but still intimidating.

The Hume swallows loudly and steps back.

Zazarg interjects again, "It is hard to believe that the Demon could turn into such a quiet and shy little kid. But that just goes to show how complete the rebirth is from one life to the next."

"I wouldn't know about that," Zelig says, "I think it's rather obvious who little Drogo once was."

"Really? You must be joking!" says the Hume.

One of the Galkas who held him down puts his hand on Zelig's shoulder, "Well out of all of us I'd guess you'd be the one to know." He smiles meekly.

Zelig, now completely terrified at the knowledge that yes he did say "zbigniew", slaps his hand off his shoulder and runs out of the room.

As he runs, he passes the disgraced soldier and the female Elvaan Paladin talking. He is facing the wall hiding his face in his arms as he leans against it.

"It's all right," she says, "Don't mind him. I know him better than you do."

"Everyone's always like that," he mutters sounding on the verge of tears, "Just because my father was a drunk…" "I'm scared…" he whispers finally.

She shakes her head, "Don't worry, you will never turn to the bottle. You will be sober to the day you die, at a very old age."

The certainty in her voice catches him of guard, and he studies her face. "Forgive me… but you're chin is rather flat for an Elvaan?"

"I'm half Hume actually, though my chin's the only real Hume thing I inherited from my father. None of my sisters or I look like him. He calls us his gaggle of giggles."

He smirks revealing a slightly crooked smile tilted to the left. "My grandmother Amiella calls us that, I'm the only male in my entire generation." She giggles and returns his smile, also tilted slightly to the left.

Zelig looks for a quiet place to calm himself and discovers Gamesage dressed as a Scholar reading a book under a tree. "Drogo!" he says walking up.

Gamesage turns around startled. "Zbigniew!" he closes the book and stands up. He knocks his mortarboard off from one of the branches and kneels to pick it up.

"I wasn't sure that it was you at first, normally I'd expect you to have some type of custom job," Zelig says finishing walking up.

Gamesage stands up and dusts his hat off. "Oh I own them don't worry about that. I'm just not at a high enough level to wear them yet. Will be soon though," he sits back down, puts his hat back on and motions for Zelig to sit with him, "I'm really focusing on mastering all these new magics that have only just become available to us. Everyone who is able is coming back just to revive the lost arts in the present." He chuckles, "I mean the future."

"What do you mean 'the lost arts'? I'd thought you would be an expert Scholar long ago," Zelig says sitting down.

"To the victors go the spoils, including authoring the history books to justify their own ends. I learned that rather quickly as an Adventurer."

"I still have no idea what you are talking about," Zelig says.

Gamesage continues, "The Alliance went to all means necessary to win the war. Afterwards everyone was so terrified of the great weapons and magics developed that they destroyed every trace of them and wiped history clean that they ever existed. Scholarship and Summoning are the two fields of magic that were completely eradicated. 'Though the Summoners of Windurst faired far better than the Scholars of Bastok. The Star Sybil simply banned the practice but everyone knows it once existed. One of the Ministers, Karaha-Baruha is a celebrated Summoner. He's almost a god himself, second only to the Star Sybil."

"But you're a Summoner yourself? You were already a master when we met."

He shakes his head, "Basic summoning magic like controlling elementals is an off branch of Beastmastery, but the goddesses and gods are a completely different matter. Right now it is a top secret operation headed by the Star Sybil herself and Karaha-Baruha. When Karaha-Baruha died from the result of the physical strain of controlling Fenrir, she banned everything outright after the war."

"But you control Fenrir as well?"

"There are two types of summoning. The normal one, like I use, simply uses the power the gods gave us as gifts to summon Avatars, which are projections of their will and power focused like a prism though our life forces. They are not the god themselves. What Heaven's Tower is working on is a complete summoning, which is the god themselves, not a projection. The difference is like the two ways to train a chocobo, you can coax it to do what you want and reward it when it does, or the can beat the poor thing half dead and completely crush its own will and submit it totally to your own. That is what is being done to Fenrir as we speak and why Karaha-Baruha ultimately died."

Zelig puts his hand over his mouth in total shock and despair. "To do that to one of the gods is unforgivable," he thinks. He puts his face in his hands and shakes his head. After a time he looks up from his fingers, "But why did you pursue this type of magic if it has become illegal in Windurst?"

"In the future a second war almost occurred. The gods themselves intervened and chose a few of us they felt could be trusted to become their vessels and taught us directly how to use their power in battle. But you're right that it is illegal. Even if we were to summon the gods in our defense, I doubt it would change the sentencing. There are very few crimes that warrant death in Windurst, to be caught actively summoning is one of them, that and murder depending on the details of the crime."

Zelig is startled by his nonchalance at committing a capital offence, "How can you be so indifferent to the law?"

"Any Adventurer who wants to be taken seriously has to dabble in the forbidden arts. It's almost a basic requirement. If someone doesn't have some skills, they won't get work so they won't get paid so they can't eat. The arts of the Shinobi and Bushido are a must. That means even the most morally upright of us must have at least some involvement with Norg. The basics of Duel Wield and Utsusemi are a necessity to just stay alive in most cases. Without them you become a liability to the party and can get others killed, not just yourself."

"Then I take it you are also a Ninja like your Elvaan friend?"

Gamesage nods, "We Adventurers have a scale we use to mark expertise in different jobs, no different than the national rankings and crafting guilds have. I'm level seventy-five in almost all of them, the highest mark," he brags. "Though…" his voice turns to disappointment, "there are a few exceptions. Mostly the arts of the Near East and the lost arts of the Great War," he holds up his grimore, "Like Scholarship here." He puts the book down, "But Dancing I found pretty easy. It's seventy-five as well." He looks back up at Zelig, "Corsair is also pretty easy, my skill as Ranger really helps with the guns, and that trick Bearstar taught me when we were little helps out a lot with the dice."

"Dice?"

"Dice and playing cards are actually used as weapons by the Corsairs. One time when we were little, Bearstar fell of the dock in Windurst and was pulled up by a Tenshodo ship's doctor. He taught her a way to roll dice that can almost always get what you want. The technique can even overcome a set of loaded dice."

"What are Corsairs exactly?"

"Corsairs are the descendents of a guerrilla movement led by Prince Luzaf after his country was brutally conquered by Aht Urhgan centuries ago. 'Though nowadays the membership crosses both ethnic and cultural lines, they are not to be confused with normal pirates. In fact the Imperial Palace has hired the Tenshodo against them. That's how I ended up in the country at first, but I've been playing both sides like most Adventurers." Gamesage sighs shaking his head, "It's one of those wars that there is just no right side to be on. 'Though Aht Urhgan as really crossed the line to end the war, no different than we did in this war. But if you think about it, war itself is that line."

"What have they done?"

"They are developing the art to control one of their gods, Alexander. Like how we tried with Fenrir is some ways, but the big thing would be Blue Magic. If this war had dragged on as long as theirs have, maybe Scholarship would be just as taken for granted as part of normal life instead of what really happened here… But I digress…"

"What is this Blue Magic?" asks Zelig, but once again his deepest nightmares could never conceive what the future has in store.

"Blue Mages literally consume the souls of those they kill, both man and beast alike, and dominate their will to their own turning them into for lack of a better word 'spells' to be cast at their pleasure. The elite of the Blue Mages literally have many thousands of souls twisting inside them screaming for vengeance."

Zelig jumps up completely overwhelmed and stumbles backwards. He trips and falls on his butt shaking like a leaf, "And you have taken that road!"

Gamesage stands to help him up, "Of course I have. Why wouldn't I?"

Zelig slaps away his extended hand, "Don't touch me!"

Gamesage is in total shock, "What's wrong Zbigniew?"

"Don't call me that you monster!" Zelig manages to stumble to his feet. "Do you have any idea what you've become!"

"What are you talking about?"

Zelig starts to back up, pointing and screaming, "You've really done it this time! You are Promathia!"

"I'm not worthy of the complement," Gamesage says calmly.

Zelig is hyperventilating now. "You consider that a complement?" he asks dumbstruck.

"I'd tell you now but that would get you in trouble with the Papsque like Bearstar is. But I know you'll hear it when the proper time comes."

"I don't what to hear it! I don't want to see it! I don't want any part of it! Just go away and let me die like I'm supposed to! I don't ever want to see you again! Just tell me how Bearstar is doing and go away!"

"Is it the Blue Magic you're so upset about? Look, that category is only the next logical step in the realm of Dark Magic. You never have had any moral quirks about Dark Knights before. Heck in my past life I raised you, just like you cared for me before you died. My rebirth broke your spirit," he starts to scream back too, "so don't give me that holier than thou speech! Grampy Jacob and the rest raised me after you died! I know everything!"

"I was wrong when I thought you were like him! You are nothing like Zbigniew! Nothing!"

Gamesage starts to cry, "Call me a monster if you will, even call me Promathia. I don't know what drives me, at first I thought I was just seeking power so I'd never be so weak that I'd lose someone I'd love again. But I don't know anymore, here I am the Great Sage and I'm still as hungry and restless as ever. If that is the definition of a monster then so be it, but I'm a good monster. I'll do anything for my family…I'd do anything for you! That's why I'm here! I'd destroy myself for you!"

"You don't have to die in my place. Just leave me alone!"

"There are worse destructions that death!" Gamesage screams bawling now.

"What do you mean by that?" asks Zelig crying just as hard.

"Those that cannot control the souls they've consumed are lucky if they kill them from the inside. If not and they are the ones that are conquered, those poor people transform into a type a Beastmen called a Soulflayer. I've lost friends that way. The fact that I have no difficulty conquering the wills of my prisoners only makes me realize even more what I am. If you're so repulsed by me than don't dive me away, let me save you so you can live to raise me properly. Isn't that the ultimate destruction? To never exist at all! If you live… I may end up working the docks as a fisherman just like you… and never become an Adventurer in the first place. Isn't that the ultimate sacrifice? Isn't that the ultimate act Zbigniew! To never live at all!" Gamesage shakes his head and begins to storm off.

"Drogo wait!" Zelig turns after him.

"What?" Gamesage glances behind him.

"You never told me how Bearstar is doing since she escaped."

He turns around, "Escaped?" Gamesage's face turns to fear and rage. He charges Zelig and pushes him against the sea wall, his upper body hanging over the water many stories below. "What happened? Where's my sister!"

Zelig finds himself on the wrong end of his possessed eyes. They seem deeper than the darkest darkness, even into the Abyss itself.

"I don't know!" he screams, "I don't know where she is! I was hoping you'd tell me!"

"What happened!"

"She collapsed during surgery on that armless Mithra you sent to the Infirmary. We were all detained afterwards, but I don't know how she escaped, especially with how injured she was."

"How injured!" Gamesage starts to whimper, "Why…was she…inj…?"

"She used some type of healing spell as a last ditch effort to save her life. I don't know what it was. Even the Tarus who saved her didn't know. They didn't recognize her injuries."

Gamesage lets him go and Zelig leans up away from the water.

He looks at the ground and clenches his fists, "Was her internal organs burned? Like if she was cooked on the inside by a fire in her belly?"

Zelig finishes standing up straight, "Yes…Yes that is what the Tarus said."

Gamesage runs to his gobbie bag and pulls out a piece of paper. He uses it with a popping noise and a warp insignia forms and he vanishes into thin air.

"Where did he go?" a voice says from behind.

Zelig turns around to see little Drogo standing there panting. Zelig jumps back, "How long have you been there? What did you hear?"

Drogo pants hard, "I was on my way home when I saw him push you over the wall so I ran to help. Where he go?"

"He used an instant warp scroll to go home, where ever that is, but in any case he's gone now." Zelig goes to walk past the boy.

"So it's really over? You don't need my help?"

"I'm fine now. Don't worry," Zelig says walking away.

"I'd do anything for you. You know that right?" Drogo asks.

Zelig turns around completely startled. He sees the little boy rubbing his hands together nervously staring at him longingly. His young eyes are possessed with the same starvation that plagued his older self.

Zelig takes a few terrified steps backwards before turning around and running franticly for the barracks, screaming all the way.

Drogo turns around searching for that Galka thinking he's returned, but they are alone. He turns back towards Zelig but he has a large head start. "Wait Zelig come back!"

By the time Drogo reaches the steps Zelig has already disappeared into Freidrich Battery Circle. He runs up the steps on all fours only stopping to rest at the top, "I…hate…these…steps…" he thinks. Drogo picks himself up but Zelig is well out of sight. Drogo looks over at the sun partially obscured by the horizon. Then he walks to the barracks.

"Where do you think you're going child?" a Galka guard asks stopping him.

"I'm looking for Zelig. Is he here?"

"Yes he just came in."

Drogo tries to walk past.

"No you don't boy," the guard steps in front of him, "No children in the barracks. Rules are rules. You'll have to wait 'til the morning." He takes Drogo out into the streets, "It is well past your bedtime kid, better go home or the bogyman will get you."

"The bogyman would never hurt me. He's my friend," Drogo says offended.

The guard just laughs and shuts the door.

Drogo starts to sniffle and walks away but he doesn't go home. He finds a quite spot near the barrack's entrance and curls up on the freezing masonry in the cold desert air and tries to sleep.

In the barracks, a group of young Hume soldiers are struggling to lift the old soldier from the mess hall into his top bunk. Suddenly Zelig slams the door to his room hard and braces against it. They stop what they're doing to look.

"Are you alright Zelig?" asks one of the young grunts.

"I'm fine!" Zelig snaps back still bracing the door.

"Is someone after you?" the old soldier asks, "You look like you've seen a ghost?"

Zelig collapses into a heap and starts to cry, "I'd be better off if I did."

The others rush towards him and carry him to his bunk. Zelig doesn't even take his sword belt off and just pulls his covers over his head and weeps. The other soldiers just look at each other not knowing what to do, then return to their stooge-like antics of trying to lift the old soldier into bed.

In the darkness of night, a shadow moves effortlessly past the night watchmen as if invisible to them. As Drogo shivers in the moonlight, the outline of a Galka silhouettes him. He picks the sleeping boy up and carries him back deep into the slums of Mines.

They come to a long since abandoned alleyway thick with cobwebs. But the webs do not rustle as the figure moves past them. They enter a small room. The inky blackness robs the eyes but the rest of the senses reek with the sensations of poverty. He lays Drogo down in a thin pile of straw and covers him with a moth-eaten blanket. He then places a book next to him and walks out of the room.

He jumps up on a flimsy rusted-out old railing and looks back into the room, but the railing doesn't even quiver under the Galka's weight when it should be shattering like glass. Then the sun peeks up over the tops of the decrepit buildings in a blinding flash.

When the eyes recover, he is gone.

A rooster is heard crowing in the distance somewhere. Morning has come, finally ending a long and evil day.


	7. Chapter 6: The Bear Slayer

**Chapter 6: The Bear Slayer**

Star, Drogo and the other children are all playing kickball in a quiet corner of Markets. Star is on first, ready to run for second when Drogo comes up to kick. He kicks it hard. Just before she reaches second, the ball ricochets off a wall and hammers her in the temple. She falls to the ground.

She doesn't move.

"Star!" Drogo runs up screaming.

The kids gather around not knowing what to do. Drogo carefully turns her over. Her eyes are open, pupils dilated fully, and seems completely oblivious to the dust and dirt covering her corneas. She isn't blinking or tearing up. She's barely breathing and looks ghostly pale. Drool begins to drip from the corner of her mouth.

"Is she dead?" a little girl asks peeking out from behind the skirt of one of the older children.

"I don't know," the older girl hugs the little one tight.

Suddenly Star starts to cough.

Drogo pulls her to his lap and holds her head, "Star! Star can you hear me?"

She's still completely unresponsive. Then she starts making a soft sound. Drogo puts his ear to her mouth and hears a gargling noise. He quickly turns her over and she throws up. She begins to tremble as he carefully slaps her back trying to get any remaining vomit from her lungs. Her tail twitches violently.

It begins.

Star slams her face into the cobblestones three full times before Drogo can grab her. He pulls her up, face covered in vomit and blood spraying from her nose. She kicks and thrashes uncontrollably. Even with his great strength, he has trouble controlling the small kitten. She coughs and gasps sounds not meant for this world with crying and gnashing of teeth.

All the children run off screaming in terror. The pungent odors of urine and excrement permeate the nostrils. Drogo is screaming at her crying, "Bearstar! Bearstar! Bear! Bear! I'm Sorry! Don't die. Please don't die!"

Suddenly she stops coughing, but it's not for the better. Her legs stiffen and her back arches. Star's head pulls back and her tongue slides out of her mouth. Her elbows twist and her hands claw the air. Her body contorts and freezes in a terrifying resemblance to the bloated, rigor mortis stricken corpses of the battlefields. Drogo gives up screaming and just hugs her bawling, head on her chest. If her heart is beating, he can't hear it.

"You're up and about rather quickly after everything that happened."

Bearstar turns around from loading her stacks of silk thread onto the Windurst Walls Auction House and sees Gamesage arms crossed with a furious look on his face.

"I'm in trouble," races through her mind. She smiles nervously, "Hey bro. How are you?"

"Don't try to change the topic. We need to talk right now."

"Umm can I finish putting my stuff up first?"

Gamesage glares at her.

"Guess not huh?"

She turns to the Auction House clerk, "Can you please excuse me for a moment?"

"Of course Bearstar," the Taru clerk says, "Oh and thank you for helping my brother the other day."

Bearstar smiles warmly and nods, "Always."

"May the Goddess watch over you!" she leans out the window and waves goodbye as Bearstar and Gamesage walk off.

They walk into his Mog House.

"Kupo! Greetings Master!" his moogle says flying up.

"Hello!" Bearstar says.

Gamesage crosses his arms and glares at the moogle. "Sorry to interrupt this conversation," Gamesage says dead serious, "but I need you to leave for awhile. This is a private conversation."

"Oh…" the moogle says shocked at his tone of voice, "Well…Then, I guess I'll just wait outside then."

They watch him fly out the door. After the door shuts Gamesage walks over and locks it tight.

His Mog House is crowded, but semi-organized. The four flags of the nations hang prominently on his walls with other awards and accolades stacked haphazardly upon each other on his shelves. In one corner is a workbench stacked with tool kits from the various guilds. A row of mannequins display his most prized possessions, his relic collections from Dynamis.

Gamesage turns around and sees her kneeling at a crate of straw under the workbench. "Hey! Don't touch those!"

Bearstar pulls out a beautiful crystal rose, "It's a lil early for Saint Valentione's Day?"

"It's a wedding order. Now put that down before you break it."

She turns it around and notices a hole down the center of the flower down through the stem. "Why is it hollow?"

"It's a single long-stem vase."

Bearstar over-exaggerates the protrusion of her lips, "Oooo… roses inside roses. Purrr~dy."

Gamesage storms over, grabs her arm and rips it from her fingers, "I said put it down!" He shoves her rather gently… all things considered, "Now go sit down!"

Bearstar sits down at the table and glances around the room. He buries the glass rose back inside the straw and sits down across from her.

"That piece looks new," Bearstar says pointing at a mannequin.

"Diabolos was kind as always last run. But I didn't come here to show it off." His face distorts into rage, "You almost killed yourself last week!"

"What did you expect me to do? Let her die on the table! I don't think so!"

Gamesage stands up and leans over the table, "You are not ready to handle that tier of magics, and this definitely proves it!"

Bearstar stands up as things escalate, "And what about you huh? The mess you did when you saved Zelig!"

"He's my Zbigniew!"

"Love one or stranger it doesn't matter! A life is a life."

"Look Bear, you helped me for years from town before you ever convinced me to let you outside the city gates. How can I teach you if you're dead! Tell me that huh? Tell me that!"

"Fine!" Bearstar pouts sitting back down, "Where are the Blues hiding? Aren't they gonna yell at me too?"

Things start to calm down.

"They are in the past out at sea with the Tenshodo smuggling war supplies for Bastok."

"I thought they were planning to avoid the Tenshodo so not to mess up their pasts?"

"Like anything is going to plan?" he says with a depressed smile sitting down.

"How's Lilisette?" she asks changing the subject.

"She's normal."

"Oh my Goddess, there's someone in the world worse than me normal?"

Gamesage smiles unable to hide his enjoyment of the thought. He rolls his eyes, "Yeah. That type of normal…"

"She's just a kid. Got to remember that."

"And you're old enough to know better."

"Yeah well…" Bearstar tries to think of a comeback, "Growing taller may be mandatory but growing up is optional."

Gamesage shakes his head, "I'd like to know where you get it from."

"Get what from?"

"You… You being you-ish. There's no other word for it."

"Word for what?" she eggs him on.

"You're just…," he seems flustered searching for words. "…Just too bear-y for your own good."

Bearstar points her right index finger up in the air. "Using someone's own name as an adjective to describe them doesn't show much command of the common tongue," she says mockingly. She sticks out her tongue.

Gamesage pinches the bridge of his nose, "Can we get back on topic."

Bearstar rolls her eyes up into her thinking face, "What were we talking about?"

Gamesage places his hand back on the table, "You almost dying and getting caught."

Bearstar's face turns sour, "Oh, yeah…" She looks away down at the ground.

"Luck has at least one thing on our side."

Bearstar looks back up at Gamesage.

He continues, "I just came from San d'Oria. The Papsque is keeping this whole thing close to the vest. Most of the soldiers don't know what's been happening."

Bearstar becomes excited, "Then I don't have to worry about hiding as much?"

He shakes his head. "Bastok is probably more dangerous right now than Sandy is, but I wouldn't risk it. I don't want you going back into the past as a mage, any mage. They have seen you cauterize too many wounds and freeze too many severed appendages. Your skill is your biggest M.O., even more than your White Mage gear."

Bearstar slams her fists onto the table. "Then what good am I?" she says angrily, "I'm a mage! That's what I am, that's all I'm good at." She stands up, "You expect me to sit back and do nothing! I'm not like Lilisette who only has her father's diary to go by. I can read! I know what date is coming up!"

"No… I expect you to calm down and listen," he says annoyed.

She sits back down.

"Look, if you stay in Windurstian controlled areas, or with large groups of Adventurers on the battlefield you'll be fine. Windurst won't betray one of their own, especially to San d'Oria, and in the heat of battle no one cares about who they are standing next to as long as they can fight. Just in the cities you need to be a job that no one knows about and won't draw attention to yourself, something whose clothing is so specialized that you can't be mistaken for a mage."

"But I'm not good at close combat."

"Good at and gifted at are two different things." He stands up, walks over to his starglobe and puts his right hand on a star, "Mizar is the name of the ranger who slays the great bear every fall and plummets the world into winter." He turns around and looks back smiling with his hand still on the star, "It's in your name and in your blood. Your keen eyes and steady hands give you an edge that just can't be taught."

"But that means I'd have to shoot at a person! I only use my bow for hunting!"

"You've shot at Beastmen before."

"Only when they started it and then never fatally. I've always shot the weapons from their hands or at their knees to cripple them!"

"So that others could kill them," he adds seriously.

She looks at the ground.

Gamesage is completely turned around now and walks back over, "Look anyone can kill another person. People die in shooting accidents every day. The real skill comes in when you don't kill them. A good archer can completely nullify the need for a White Mage on the battlefield. And besides no one would ever question a Mithra with a bow. Your people are still basically a hunter-gatherer culture who only dabble in farming. It's not a way to destroy life as it is with the rest of us, to a Mithra a bow is a way to create life." He puts his hands on Bearstar's shoulders, "Create life, Bearstar. It's why we were chosen in the first place."

Bearstar nods. "Fair enough," she says depressed. "I'll ready my bow." She gets up and walks out.

Major Viki runs into the Infirmary still partially covered in the day's gore screaming. "Baby! Where's my baby!"

The young doctor from before recognizes her, "You're here for the seizure child?"

"Yes she's my baby."

"This way."

A guard stops them, "Wait we can't let someone that filthy into the building."

Major Viki unabashedly undresses down to her thong at the entrance. "There! Now let me through!" She charges past the blushing guard. The young doctor follows her as she runs topless through the halls.

"Wait up!"

She stops and looks back. He comes up holding his white coat over his arm fiddling with is collar buttons.

Now wearing his shirt, he takes Major Viki to a room where her daughter is laying on a table rolled up tightly like a carpet in a thick blanket with a plush pillow under her head.

"What are you trying to do to my baby!" she runs in and starts tearing at the blanket.

"The blanket is to restrain her to prevent self-injury," the Hume physician says with arrogant superiority in his voice.

"My baby has asthma! You're crushing her chest!"

"I didn't know," he says coldly with no hint of compassion or concern. It is obvious what triage tier he considers his patient.

The young doctor tries to run into the room but the treating physician blocks his path, "Don't even think it! Remember you're nothing but a nurse now and that's only because of this war! When the battles are over so are you. Mind your place and leave at once!"

The young doctor looks desperately at the crazed mother.

"I said move!" the physician shoves him out of the room deliberately slamming his head hard into the door frame.

He's knocked to his knees dizzy in the hallway. When he stumbles getting up, the physician kicks him hard it the rear hitting his sack.

"Stop fooling around and get back to your post!"

The doctor struggles to his feet and using the wall as a crutch, makes his way back towards the entrance.

Back in the room, Major Viki finally unwraps her daughter and lays her back on the table. She puts her hand over her mouth and nose feeling for breath. Then she pinches her nose and covers little Star's mouth with her own. After a few repeats, Star starts to cough. Major Viki picks up her daughter soaking wet with urine and storms out.

Back in the barracks, Major Viki is scrubbing her small child in the hand washing basin.

"Mommy I sorry I go pee-pee," a frail little voice squeaks in the silence.

Major Viki smiles, "It ok sweetie," she says softly, "It's not your fault."

Star coughs a few times then moans trying to cuddle.

"Do you remember what happened?"

Star shakes her head slightly.

"That's ok, Mommy's here now. Everything is going to be alright."

Star smiles softy then closes her eyes.

Zelig makes his way to the barracks as the sun sets and spots Drogo pulling a squeaky rusted out three-wheeled toy wagon with a second wobbly wheel about to fall off any second full of thick books headed towards the Galkan slums in Mines.

"What are your carrying there, Drogo?" he asks walking over.

The child stops and looks back, "Just some books from the library."

Zelig picks one up to read the title, "Why this is a medical textbook."

He looks at the stack, "Did you check out the entire encyclopedia?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why are you…" Zelig doesn't finish the sentence as a rush of fear grips him.

"Is the Mithra girl alright?" he asks rushed.

Drogo looks at the ground and shakes his head.

"What happened?"

Drogo gets upset and starts to whine but doesn't cry, "She got hit in the head when we were playing kick ball and she fell down and started shaking and coughing and all the kids ran away but I tried to stop her but then she threw up and peed on me…"

Zelig kneels down and puts his hand on his shoulder, "Where is she now?"

Drogo looks up, "I don't know."

Zelig stands up and extends his hand, "Let's go look for her then."

Drogo nods sniffling and takes Zelig's hand. With Zelig now pulling the wagon, they make their way to the barracks.

"Zelig what are you…" a Galkan soldier starts to ask. He pinches his nose, "What's that smell? It smells like piss."

"Do you know where the Mithras are being housed?" he asks.

"Their quarters are in the back. Some storage units have been converted into rooms for them."

"Thank you."

Zelig and Drogo walk back towards the storage rooms with rubberneckers watching them the whole way. Rounding the corner to the storage section, they see a Mithra stretching tiredly in a door frame. She looks over seeing them.

"Hey you're that Galka that's been helping Major Viki aren't you?"

"Yes I am," Zelig nods, "Can you tell us where she is?"

"She is hiding with her daughter in one of the storage rooms. I don't why though, since the party turned so huge most of Bastok knows she is here."

"Can you show us please?"

"I honestly don't know. She never tells us anything. You'd have to look around."

Zelig nods and they walk off. They come to the very back of the building, "Drogo we are going to have to split up. Knock on the doors and try to find any unlocked rooms."

Drogo nods and walks off.

Zelig has checked about thirty rooms but still no luck when he hears Drogo yelling in the distance. "I found them!"

As Zelig turns a corner in the direction of the noise, he collides with Major Viki. They fall to the ground and end up in an awkward position.

Major Viki blushes as she looks him in the eyes, "Oh Zelig. I'm so sorry." She climbs off of him and he sits up.

"That's fine. How's Bearstar?" he asks urgently.

"She's sleeping now. She'll be fine. She gets really hungry after a fit so I know she'll be ok."

Major Viki's nostrils flare as she starts to sniff. She looks down at Drogo. "You were with my baby today weren't you little one?"

He nods.

"I can tell my little girl's smell," She kneels down and hugs him, "Thank you so much for taking care of my baby."

She pulls back to take a good look at him, "You're that little Galka that always with my baby aren't you?"

Drogo nods.

"What's your name again?"

"Drogo, Major Viki."

"Drogo, that's right." She looks up at Zelig, "So you to know each other?"

"Yes we're friends," Drogo says smiling. He turns around and looks up a Zelig. "Isn't that right? We're friends aren't we?" he asks nervously.

Zelig nods smiling broadly, "Always and forever… And I'm sorry if I ever gave you another impression."

Drogo smiles back just as big in spite his small face and nods as well.

"What do you have in this cart?" Major Viki stands up, walks behind Zelig and picks up a book. "This is a medical book." She looks at Zelig, "You trying to help Star?"

"Those are my books," says Drogo.

She looks down at him. "After she was taken away and I couldn't go with her I when to the library, but when I couldn't find anything I checked out the whole thing cause it was closing for the day."

"You couldn't find anything?" she asks.

Drogo nods, "I couldn't find anything in the books that sounded like what happened so I took everything home so I could finish reading."

"You were planning to read all these books all by yourself?" Major Viki says moved.

Drogo nods again.

She smiles softly, "Thank you. She has a falling sickness but what it's called here in Bastok I don't know."

Drogo walks over to the cart and starts scanning the spines, "F, F, F…" He picks out the F book and sits down flipping through pages. "Here it is!" he says excitedly. He reads out loud, "Falling Sickness: colloquial name for E… epe… e-Pie… See Epel… entry." Drogo leaves the book open to the page on the floor and starts to walk back over to the wagon.

Major Viki stops him, "It's ok angel. It's getting late. You should go to bed."

"She's right," Zelig says, "I'll talk to her tomorrow morning before we leave and get a message to you."

Drogo nods and raises his hand. Zelig takes his hand and they make their way back through the barracks back into town. The night guards keep an eye on them as they make their way into the back alleyways of Mines.

Drogo slips underneath a rope barrier.

"Drogo what are you doing?" Zelig asks startled, "You can't go back there!"

"This is where I live."

"How long have you slept here?"

"About thirteen years now. You should see it when it's light out. I've made it really nice."

Zelig is paralyzed in disbelief.

"Aren't you coming?"

Zelig hesitates for nearly a minute.

"Well?" asks Drogo.

Zelig takes a deep breath and follows Drogo under the ropes.

He leads them to a very small room with no windows, not even eight feet by ten. The only things in the room are a tattered blanket lying on the floor on a small thinly dispersed pile of straw, a broken worn out nightstand dresser-drawer with a cracked hurricane lamp on top and a rusty bucket underneath a wooden crate with a hole in the top.

"Well you're quite the wealthy young Galka," Zelig says shocked at the abundance in the room.

"Thank you. People think this room is haunted so I get to sleep here by myself."

"Is it haunted?" he asks looking down at him.

Drogo looks up smiling, "Yep! But I think the ghost's starting to like me now."

"He's as fearless as ever," Zelig thinks to himself.

Drogo facial expression unexpectedly turns sad. He looks at the ground. "Um… Zelig…" he talks nervously, "can I… can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

Drogo sits down on the cold stone floor next to the wall. He hugs his knees and buries his face in his legs. Zelig sits down next to him concerned for the sudden change of mood.

"I've always been alone, just like you said. But I really like you… and… it scares me." He peeks up from his knees.

Zelig gives a half smile, "To be perfectly honest… I've been scare too. Love can be a scary thing."

Drogo sits up straight at hearing this. He sniffles.

"And do you know who told me that?"

Drogo shakes his head.

"You did, last time around."

Drogo stares at him.

Zelig looks away at the ground and hugs his knees just like Drogo. "I know that traditionally we're not supposed to talk to our children about their past lives. That each time around is a brand new start for a new life, but I think you should hear this, because so much of your personality has survived intact from what I can see."

Drogo sniffles again.

"Since the chess game I've heard a lot of talking of how different you are from your last life. What a cold, aloof, unmoving and brutish person he was but here you are laughing and playing and proving yourself quite the little intellectual. But the truth is that he was nothing even remotely like that. He was just extremely shy. Crowds intimidated him so he just kept to himself. There was nothing cold or aloof about him. He was never very overtly emotional, so the only times he ever outwardly showed anything was when his anger overcame his shyness. But inside that little world of his he was very happy, always smiling and laughing, trying to score the next joke, and was one of the most intelligent people I ever meet. I loved listening to him talk. I made a strong effort to talk to him every day."

"Then we were friends?" Drogo asks softly.

"Yes we were very good friends. I was always teased and picked on when I was younger, but one day Drogo the Demon of all people came up to us yelling and screaming and chased everyone away. A lot of people thought I was falling into the wrong crowd when I started hanging out with him but I never saw it like that." Zelig takes a deep breath and continues, "He was always very thoughtful and very protective of the people he cared about."

"But I was a Dark Knight?"

"I know Dark Knights are always looked down upon because some are truly psychotic, but he was always kind and gentle. The rage he drew his power wasn't from pure malice but from the passion he felt about the suffering he witnessed. Even towards the enemy, which for all intensive purposes ended his carrier."

Drogo face questions Zelig, and he smiles knowing he's gotten the boy's attention.

"As a boy, everyone did not see him, but saw his past life. And he hated it. That's why he ran away and joined the Army in hopes of becoming a Dark Knight, a job he thought was the exact opposite of his old life, to prove he was different, and individual in his own right. He became a feared soldier, in both San d'Oria and Bastok. But he had his friends… friends he took care of with his life. One was a young man from a rich family who thought the Army would be an adventure. When he saw him being carried away he tried to rescue him single-handed and was captured as well.

They we're both sent to a dungeon he said the San d'Orians called the 'Oubliette' underneath the Chateau itself. It was an evil place where the prisoners tortured the prisoners…"

"Wait? What! Why?" Drogo interrupts.

"Because the oubliette means "forget" in the Elvaan. It is a place of no hope. When prisoners are all treated the same then there is solidarity and an almost 'patriotic', as he put it, comradery among them. But when you favor one above others, when you offer rewards of water to the thirsty and food to the starving and even…" he pauses searching for simple words, "… a cure spell for small cuts and bruises," he finally says looking in Drogo's eyes.

He nods and looks to him to continue.

Zelig looks away in despair that such a young child understood exactly what he meant.

Drogo smirks softly, "I've seen the prisoners hanging in cages over the harbor… but even if there wasn't a war… if I get punished so bad then what do grown-ups do to other grown-ups?" he asks rhetorically. "Please continue, how he escape? I wouldn't be here otherwise."

Zelig looks back at the small boy and returns the comforting smirk. He continues, "When the San d'Orians realized he was unifying the fellow prisoners they threw him down in the sewers to starve in the darkness or be killed by the undead he would soon join..."

Drogo nods eagerly.

Zelig's smile widens, "He survived for what he later discovered was three days in the dark marking the walls as he wandered and fought. Then he saw some light. He thought he was seeing the final light and decided to walk towards it. But then he smelled spring buds and heard birds. He discovered a hole in the wall, big enough to crawl though. It led into the woods of West Ronfaure. He waited 'til night, then scouted the woods. There were no guards anywhere near the opening meaning no one knew it existed. Then he found a pussy willow and broke its branches and gathered the stems in his shirt. Then with a torch he climbed the broken wall and went back in."

Drogo goes to say something but Zelig puts right index finger in his face shushing him. "This is the part you need to hear."

He puts his hands back on his knees and continues. "He fought his way though, but only disarming the fellow prisoners while driving the knights from the prison. The knights had raised the alarm and had legions of soldiers there waiting for the mob to run out. But it was only the Demon and to their surprise he grabbed the iron gate, slammed it shut and locked it tight with stolen keys then snapped it off in the lock sealing the Oubliette off from the outside world. After taunting the knights he grabbed all the torches as he ran back leaving the hallway black to their eyes.

While the knights scrambled for a locksmith he showed the fresh cut pussy willow branches to the prisoners proving to them that there was another exit and then split up the remaining keys and raced though the cells freeing everyone, _even_ the ones who tortured him and the others. After an argument in the sewers the group split up, one heading south towards La Theine Plateau to their deaths more than likely while the two soldiers and the others followed the smugglers among them who promised a Tenshodo base on the other side of Ranguemont Pass in Beaucedine Glacier in the Northlands. And a week later the two of them were on a ship bound for Bastok from Jeuno.

…He saved _everyone_ Drogo… Elvaan, Hume, even three Mithras, both the healthy and the sick, _and _both his enemies and his friends, those he hated and those he cared for. He spent almost five long months with people who beforehand he would have killed without a second thought, and especially for the men who gave him that scar…" he draws a line across Drogo's left eye "…on his face that he wanted to kill just days before.

That's what ended his carrier. When you see the reflection of Altana's tears in the eyes of your enemies, it's over. It's as simple as that. He refused to fight afterwards so they placed him in Port on guard duty for the docks. Which is where we met. Do you understand?"

He can see little wheels turning behind wanting eyes as Drogo takes the story in.

"Like when I said there would be no more wars if everyone could play together?" he asks.

Zelig nods but glances away from his eyes, "Yes… exactly like that."

"And do you know what else?" he adds looking back down at him.

Drogo shakes his head.

"He had a saying, 'A blade is only as sharp as the mind behind it and the sharpest blades are never drawn.' Do you know what that means?"

"It means like when we first met," he says almost immediately, "I could have beaten those boys up but I didn't."

Zelig smiles, "Yes…and that is what I see in you. The part of him you still have. It may be figurative for us, but the Demon is just as long gone as with the friend he saved. You are Drogo, the young Game Sage of Bastok. Now take that piece, make it your own and be the best person you can be."

Drogo is quiet for some time as his young mind finishes digesting these new facts about himself. Then…

"Do you think… that… do you think that maybe… the reason I've come to like you so fast …is… is because we were friends before?" his stutters.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Zelig answers.

Drogo crawls up and cups his hands over Zelig's ear. "Can… can I call you Zbigniew?" he whispers.

Zelig reaches around him and hugs him tightly. "I'm not worthy of the honor, but I'll do my best."

Drogo starts to cry.

Zelig soon follows.


	8. Ch7: Will-o'-Whispers and Silent Prayers

**Chapter 7: Will-o'-Whispers and Silent Prayers**

The thinnest wisps of dawn slowly begin to light the clouds from underneath although there is no light yet on the horizon. An elderly Elvaan priest dressed in full blue robes and hood piously walks with head down and arms folded within his sleeves making his way to deliver Lightsday service and communion to the faithful.

The priest for no apparent reason stops in his tracks. He stands still for a time then takes his hands out of his sleeves and pulls his hood back to the shock of onlookers. He cups his hands behind is long ears and closes his eyes to concentrate. He then runs off in the wrong direction for the chapel, making his way with his head still uncovered through the dawn crowd and soldiers.

He comes to a secluded section of Mines, now mostly abandoned save the Galkan slums due to the war. He crouches behind a corner careful not to be seen. His ears have not tricked him. A large flock of song birds is gathered on almost every surface chirping an unnatural song. There are two Mithras there. One, a Ranger, is sitting on a crate playing a traditional woodland two-chambered flute that sounds hollow like a spring breeze through budded branches and the other, dressed in Bison leathers, is dancing and singing within the flock of birds. The dance he recognizes, but is unfamiliar with the lyrics, but it is a hymn to Altana, no question about it.

Suddenly the mining dust so near the ground overtakes his nose and the birds scatter.

The dancer draws her daggers, "Who's there! Show yourself!"

The priest comes out of the shadows arms raised. He is surprised at the fear and hate in the dancer's eyes thinking the sight of an old priest would calm their nerves. The Ranger runs up to the dancer, places her hand on her shoulder and whispers in her ear.

The Mithra sheathes her daggers, then points at the priest. "Approach!" she commands.

The priest keeping his arms raised walks up to the duo. He puts his hands together in the Altanan blessing, symbolizing the Goddess's wings, above his head. "Peace be with you. I am Father Ermenegilde."

The Ranger steps forward returning the hand sign. "And peace be with you Holy Father! I am B…" she fakes coughs to cover herself, "Forgive me, I am Mizar."

The dancer now steps in front of the Ranger and raises right her arm in a protecting motion. "And I am Major Viki of the Copperheads," she glares at Father Ermenegilde.

The priest can see Mizar mouth the word "sorry" to Major Viki though it is so soft even an Elvaan can't hear it.

"Well since the ceremony has been unexpectedly cut short," Bearstar's smile is unable to mask the nervousness in her voice, "We should be getting ready for the day's battle." She hurriedly walks past Father Ermenegilde pulling her hat down masking her face with her hands. He can hear her start to run away as soon as she passes him.

Major Viki turns her back, glances hostilely behind her at the priest, then starts to walk back towards the crates.

"Pardon me for asking, but that was your Dawn Drawing ceremony wasn't it, yet the lyrics were in praise of Altana?"

Major Viki turns and glares, "How do you know of it?"

"Out of all the pilgrimages I am bound to undertake, I have always looked forward to my journeys to Mea the most because it brings me to Windurst. I know our nations are traditionally at war with each other but I have truly fallen in love with her and her peoples."

There is an honesty in his voice that Major Viki cannot deny. "I'm surprised that a priest as yourself has been allowed to grow old in your robes Father with those views." Major Viki points her index and middle fingers on both hands and puts them behind her head. Then she motions them up over her head bringing them to her brow.

The priest puts both his palms on his head. He feels nothing but his thinning hair, "Oh, how unsightly of me," he says pulling his hood back over his head, "Thank you for pointing it out. I would have never noticed."

Major Viki allows herself to smile softly but she is still on her guard to his surprise. He thinks for a moment about the situation.

"You and your companion conceal your faith in Altana from the world do you? That is why you hide deep in the shadows instead of welcoming the coming day in the light?"

Major Viki stands emotionless in front of him.

"There is no need to be afraid or concerned. I know the situation well, you and your friend are as safe as in the confession booth."

"I'm glad to hear it… for your sake. I'm sure you are aware of the situation we are facing at the moment."

Father Ermenegilde raises his hands pleadingly, bracing for a violent response, "If you mean the situation with the heretic, yes I know of it."

Major Viki bares her fangs and growls softly.

"Yes, yes I know but what they did was a truly barbaric act, unfit for such holy men," he continues.

Major Viki drops her shoulders slightly, "Just because some are quick to drop their guard don't think for a minute that I am one of those."

Major Viki studies her opponent. "You seem disturbed about something Father, but not about this?" Major Viki asks.

"Yes, you are quite observant. I just came from praying for a young knight's soul." He sighs, "His is one of those deaths that tests your faith."

"May I ask who it was?"

"It was a young Temple Squire named Gwenael."

Major Viki eyes bug out in shock. "A Squire Gwenael? A boy barely twenty with scarlet hair the color of the dawn and green eyes lusher than the new spring growth?"

"Yes! You knew him?"

Major Viki puts her face in her hands distraught. "Yes, he was a kind Elvaan," she lowers her hands, "and I don't say that lightly."

"What do you mean?"

"Before we came to Bastok my girls and I were in San d'Oria, we were treated so cruelly there. The Temple Knights wouldn't let us even talk our own language let alone pray. We were always under surveillance and harassed."

"That is the Temple's duty I'm afraid. Religious dogma is the law in San d'Oria. Even the royal family is not above the control of the Papsque. May I add that it is no different than how your Star Sybil stands above the Ministries and Mercenaries of Windurst."

"Don't compare her to them!" she says angrily, "The Star Sybil is kind, noble and just. She is not as brutish as your knights."

"I'm sure she is as remarkable woman to be mistaken for Altana Herself… No offence if that is where your faith lies child." he adds hurriedly.

Major Viki gives a sad smirk. "He would always say that to us, 'No offence if that is where your faith lies.' He was kind to us and very curious."

"That he was… that he was." He tries to choke back his tears. "As unpriestly as it sounds I pray that the Tyrian Wolves bring justice to young Gwenael's death," he laments.

"Tyrian? I'm not familiar with the word?" asks Major Viki.

"The Tyrian Wolves are the unit of Temple Knights here in Bastok. He was a member."

"I know that much, I meant the word itself. I assume it's a color from how other units are named."

"Oh, yes, Tyrian is the proper name for the common tongue's royal purple."

"I see." Major Viki clasps her hands together and closes her eyes, "Altana, I know praying for violence is improper and immoral, but the Elvaan Gwenael was a good and loyal servant. Please let a purple wolf bite the murder's head off." She opens her eyes and looks at the priest smiling.

"You have a very terse vocabulary, child. But well phrased," he says smiling back.

"I'm afraid our meeting must end here. We must not be seen together, not until I discover the truth of what transpired in San d'Oria."

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"A good friend has been sentenced to death after an argument between only us Mithra over Altana. I pray for that person sake that her words moved one of my girls to question an Elvaan out of faith instead of…" Major Viki pauses searching for the right words. She raises her hands and puts them over her heart, "…out… of ulterior motives."

Father Ermenegilde smiles and nods in sympathy, "Of course, and I will pray for that individual as well."

They exchange salutes. Major Viki turns and walks back towards the crates. She kneels down and emerges with a large bundle wrapped in blankets. As she turns, he is surprised to see a teddy fall from the blankets. Major Viki looks around not knowing what to do at first, then she carefully kneels down with her eyes focused on the bundle and feels around until she touches the teddy. She tucks in into the blankets and as she stands a little tail comes loose from the cloth folds. Father Ermenegilde smiles as he watches Major Viki leave first.

After waiting for a time, Father Ermenegilde steps out of the shadows. After his eyes recover from the shock, he sees the glowing colors. "Sweet Mercy I'm going to be late for service!" He folds his arms piously within his sleeves, and trying to do so respectably, runs off.

The clocks chime twelve-thirty, and Drogo has spent the entire morning under a shady tree reading a book. His wagon is next to him with a few other books and some well worn-out toys matching the state of his wagon. The elite of Markets coming home in their Lightsday best turn their noses up at the dirty little Galka in their midst.

Slowly the Hume children begin to trickle in, but many don't come. Mostly the wealthier kids whose families can afford to enforce obedience to the Sabbath day. Drogo feels a slight breeze on his face, takes a break from his pages and looks up at the leaves rustling gently. "Humes sure are funny," he thinks, "The rich deride the poor for not keeping faith, but they are the ones forcing the poor to work without rest."

"Doggie!" the excited shrill of his favorite toddler pulls him from his thoughts.

He shuts his book, quickly puts it aside, and runs up waving.

"Hey Gamesage!" Ceddie shouts running up. "Did you remember your toys?" he says as they come face to face.

Drogo nods and leads them to the tree where the eleven other children have gathered, all Port families. The more older children, about Ceddie's age, are flipping through the books looking for pictures while the younger ones are trying to figure out what the toys used to be so they know how to play with them. One boy is peering through a small metal ring with a rope attached treaded though a solid medal wheel.

"What's this thingy?" he asks as they come up.

"Be careful! I made that for Star," he says taking it.

"But what is it?"

Drogo leans down, "Stand back everyone." He puts the hoop over one of his legs and straightens out the rope and puts the wheel at the end. He then starts kicking his foot and the gizmo starts to spin around. As the rope comes around he lifts his foot over the rope and kicks it around again going faster and faster.

"Oh! I want one! I want one!"

Everyone looks up and Drogo lets the doohickey spin out. Star comes running up.

"Good! I made it for you." Drogo reaches down and takes it off his foot. "Happy belated birthday," he hands it to her.

"What's belated?" she asks.

"Belated means late, you say it when you give a present after the person's real birthday. It's like an apology."

"You don't have to say sorry. You tried to give me a bookie at me party."

"Speaking of books," a girl says, "There aren't any pictures in these."

"Yeah, and there are big words I don't know," says another.

A small boy comes up holding a toy, "What's this thingy?"

"You didn't bring very good stuff," a boy complains standing up from the wagon.

"Yeah! I thought you said you had good stuff. This stuff is trash," another says standing up.

Drogo looks at the ground, "I just brought what I thought would be fun."

"Well they're not," the first boy says.

"You have a weird sense of fun," the other says.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" Star shouts, "This thingy is lots of fun!" She holds up her skipping toy.

"Yeah, but there's only one!" one of the boys shouts.

The oldest of the children, one of the few rich ones, puts her book down and runs in between, "Hey now no fighting!"

"This marble even has a crack in it," says the first boy.

"No be careful!" he runs over and takes it from him, "This one's my favorite."

"Why? It's garbage," he snaps.

Drogo holds it up to the sun and twists it around, "Just because no one wants it doesn't mean it's garbage." He suddenly smiles, "There we go look at this."

The boy looks up into the light, "Hey there's a picture of something in it!"

All the children gather and take turns.

"It's a bolt!"

"It's a chimney!"

"It's a sail!"

"It's a feather!" Star says on her turn.

Drogo holds the marble up to where he can see it, "Yes I think it's a feather too."

"Gamesage do you have any other toys and books?" another girl asks.

"Yeah I have lots of books, and I still haven't given away any of the new toys I have to the other Galka kids."

"You give your toys away?" Ceddie asks.

"You must have lots of toys!" Icie squeals clapping her hands. She tugs on Drogo arms pogo-ing up and down, "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"

"Yeah Gamesage, where do you live?" Ceddie asks.

Drogo stutters, "I…live… by myself …in… in Mines."

"You have your own room? That's not fair! I have to share mine with my brother," a boy whines.

"No I _live_ by myself," Drogo explains, "I don't just have my own room, I'm completely alone."

"Don't you have a mommy or daddy?" a small girl asks.

Drogo shakes his, "No…" but his tone picks up as he smiles, "but I have a Zbigniew. That's kinda like a daddy. But he's a soldier so he lives at the barracks."

A small boy looks at the ground, "My uncle had to leave home for the war." He starts to sniffle.

The oldest girl goes to hug him, "It's ok Billy."

"Are you guys really sure you wanna go to my place?" Drogo asks nervously.

"Yeah why?" Ceddie asks.

Drogo races through his mind trying to find the words for the fear of his neighbors' reactions to seeing Humes in the depths of the slums, even if they are children.

"There are spiders," he says finally trying to scare them. "Great big ones!" Drogo extends his arms as far as they will go exaggerating their size.

One little girl starts to cry and hides in one of the older girls' skirts.

"I'm not scared of spiders!" says Icie proudly, "I'll squish em!" Then stomps her foot.

"Yeah why would we be scared of silly spiders," a boy mocks.

Drogo in despair walks over to his wagon and kneels down placing his hand underneath.

"What are you doing?" asks Star.

Drogo closes his eyes and grips the hilt of his short sword, stolen from an Elvaan, hidden in the undercarriage of the wagon. He runs different scenarios through his mind over and over again.

"Gamesage?" Ceddie asks.

Drogo lets go of the sword and stands up. "I'll take you, but you'll need to be quiet and fast, but once we hit the alleyway we'll be safe."

Drogo carefully leads his small troupe through the filthy streets of the slums. The other children are completely overwhelmed by the sights and sounds…and smells… of the slums. They carefully watch where they step trying to avoid the open sewers running in the drainage ditch in the middle of the narrow alleyway as they stare at the decrepit old buildings with their facades cracked and tumbling off.

Word spreads quickly of the Hume invasion and adults pull their playing children from the streets. Angry glares greet them from windows and doors. The children only turn in circles completely confused not knowing how to respond to this alien world. Drogo is stone faced, searching the onlookers, ready to pull his sword from his wagon if need be.

Up ahead of them, Drogo can see a burly Galka come out of a door and lean against the wall arms crossed. Drogo readies himself. As they near the Galka says something not in the common tongue. Drogo responds in kind. The Hume children just stand helplessly as they talk. They can tell from the tone that it is a heated conversation but nothing else. Star, on the other hand, raises her right hand in front of her and closes her eyes.

The conversation turns into an argument, "(I knew you had foreign tastes but to bring Humes here shows a severe lack of judgment.)"

"(I can handle myself well enough,)" responds Drogo.

"(You may be able to handle yourself but what about your Hume friends?)"

Star takes her toy and begins to spin the metal wheel like a flail. She walks up behind Drogo, "I can take care of myself just fine if you wanna try it."

Both the Galka and Drogo jump back completely startled giving a short scream.

"You understand what we're saying?" Drogo asks.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?" she asks surprised.

The Galka recovers and yells at Drogo, "(You taught this girl our tongue!)"

"(I did no such thing!)"

"He's right! Drogo didn't teach me nothin'!" Star says.

Other Galkas begin to gather and circle the kids. Drogo searches the crowd and goes for his sword, but before he can pull it out…

"(What is the meaning of this!)" shouts a voice far to high to even be a Galkan child.

Someone jumps off a second story causeway into the middle of the cowering kids.

"Ah! You're a Jeuno official!" shouts one of the Galkas in the common tongue.

A woman stands before them in a Blessed set with a Noble's Tunic. A simple helm hides her face so only her tail proves she's a Mithra. She puts her hands on her hips fingering the handles of her twin maces.

"(I said what is the meaning of this!)" she continues in Galkan, "(Are you so morally deprived that you will mug even children?)"

Star closes her eyes again as if listening to something. Then she smiles, "I know you! You're Mommy's friend that I can't hear!"

"You have connections with the Archduke?" the first Galka asks.

"(Yes they do,)" says the arbiter. "(Now I hope all of you understand the consequences of slighting Jeuno?)" she mocks arrogantly. The Mithra waves them off, "(Now shoo! All of you! And I recommend you remember this encounter!)"

The Galkas disperse leaving the children alone in the streets.

"Are you kids alright?" the Mithra asks.

Drogo is a little wobbly, "(Thank you)" he mumbles.

"What was that about!" the eldest girl shouts hugging one of the smaller children clinging to her skirt.

The Mithra turns to her, "Some people have no scruples. They probably saw all these nice things in your wagon and thought children would be easy pickings."

Suddenly there is a loud clank.

Everyone looks and sees that Drogo's sword has come loose from under the wagon. The smaller children cling even tighter. Ceddie pulls his little sister back, being too young to understand what just happened.

"You don't have to worry anymore," the arbiter says, "I'll escort you where ever you are going."

"Those nine lives of yours are going to run out one of these days you know."

Everyone looks up and sees a large Galka with spiked brown hair in Darksteel Cuirass set and Iron Visor on the upper deck where she had jumped from.

The Mithra waves, "Hey Wagwei you're late to the party as always!"

He shakes his head in disgust, "Just stay there, I'll find some steps."

Everyone is walking briskly through the alleyways now.

"And my brother says these clothes aren't worth the millions of gil. Ha! I'll lecture him when we get back," Bearstar thinks as she struts proudly walking with the children.

They all gather around Wagwei asking a million questions.

"What's it like in Jeuno?"

"Is it true that they have buildings taller than mountains?"

"Is the entire city really built on bridges rising up from the bottom of the ocean?"

Bearstar laughs as poor Wagwei stumbles with the words.

Drogo stops with his wagon, "Ok this is my street."

Everyone turns to see a deserted street with a fishing net draped over the railings of the upper deck tied to the ground as a barrier, but one side is hanging loose. The upper decks are also sealed off with crates. There is a sign on the net written in two languages, the common tongue reads "Danger! Do Not Enter."

Drogo lifts up the net and goes underneath, "Come on it's this way."

"Oh you have got to be kidding me…" the oldest girl says.

"Don't worry no one comes back this way," Drogo says, "It's safer than staying out there."

"Ok everyone under the net," the girl says pushing the children to hurry them underneath. She looks back when the grownups don't follow, "Wait aren't you coming with us?"

Bearstar shakes her head, "Sorry, but this is as far as we go. But don't worry. The last Galkan king ordered this street closed. No one would disobey him," she giggles, "Except Drogo of course."

Wagwei sighs, "Your both crazy you know that?"

"Wait the Galkas have a king?" the girl asks.

Wagwei looks up, "It's more of a ceremonial role since we came to Bastok," he explains, "We recognize the President and the Senate of course, but the Tales Keeper as the name translates is chosen by Altana Herself so we also follow him as a religious leader nowadays instead of a political one."

Bearstar points at the children walking away, "You better hurry or you'll lose them."

The girl turns and sees them getting further away. "Thank you for saving us," she says running after them.

Wagwei turns to Bearstar. "That was as dangerous as hell you know that!"

"What? The impersonating an arbiter? We'll be fine. Lots of Adventures wear the Jeuno Blues."

He shakes his head, "No I mean being around the little you, with that weird power you have."

"You don't have to worry about that. I said so myself, 'You're Mommy's friend that I can't hear' or did you miss that?"

"That doesn't make sense, have you found away to block others with the same gift?"

Bearstar shakes her head, "No, but the explanations quite simple. How can someone read their own mind? But come on we must find Sir Gumbah…" She taps her helmet a few times, "… It's Elder Gumbah…It's Elder Gumbah here."

"You're only delaying the inevitable, if you even doing anything at all."

"We have to try. The History books have gone blank. We must do everything we can to ensure his safety. We have to protect the Tales Keeper."

Wagwei nods and they run off together.

The children make their way through the dusty cobweb infested street watching Drogo strolling confidently in front of him humming a song. They turn a corner and are now are completely out of sight in an area isolated from the rest of Mines. The children look around in amazement.

It's like a chutes and ladders board with ropes and slides everywhere. The cobwebs are gone and everything is as clean as it can hope to get. There are broken containers filled with flowering weeds scattered through the streets trying to make it look better. They look up and see something just peeking up above the roof lines. They look into the various rooms on the bottom floor and see piles of junk.

"What's all this?" Ceddie asks.

"I'm a scavenger. I use the lower rooms to organize and store the things I sell," Drogo answers proudly. "I live in the upper floor though. Everything upstairs I keep for myself."

"Hey why is this wall all wet?" Star asks.

He looks and sees Icie splashing in a puddle where water seeps from a crack in the wall.

"Oh, not again!" Drogo drops his wagon's handle and runs into a nearby room.

The other kids follow and discover it's a stairwell. They come to the upper floor and climb a pile of rubble with steps shaped into it up to the roofs.

They discover an extensive rooftop garden full of edible desert plants. There are also animals, like chickens and rahabs in makeshift cages. As they search for Drogo, the eldest looks down into a collapsed room. As the other children come over she shoos them away, "Come on he's not down there let's go this way." She glances down one more time into a bloody slaughterhouse before she runs off herself hand over her mouth and nose.

On the opposite end of the roofs they find Drogo climbing back up onto the roofs. They peer over the edge into an entire set collapsed rooms. The first room is only down to the second floor but the next two are completely down to the ground. They are filled with water.

"Everything's all right. The rain's just overtopped the basin. There are no cracks in the seal," he says relieved.

"Gamesage what is all of this?" Ceddie asks.

"This is my home," he says proudly.

"I know that, but you said you live alone?"

"I do."

"But who made all these things?" the oldest girl asks.

"Everything here is mine. I made everything myself."

"Even the garden and the animals and…" she looks at the younger children, "…and that place where you do things with the animals?"

"Everything here is mine," he says again proudly, "I do everything myself. My animals, my gardens, all my things in storage, my home. I sell what I find. I give toys and the food I can't eat away. I use the money to buy medicine for sick people. I do everything myself." He looks at the ground, "But with the war… everything goes to the war. There's nothing to buy."

"You don't have to do everything yourself anymore. We're all here now!" Star says, "I'll come here every day!" She turns to the others, "You'll all come to right!"

"I play here! I play here!" Icie shouts jumping up and down.

"I'll come too," says Ceddie.

The oldest girl looks on helplessly as the other children all concur. Drogo and the oldest girl both look at each other, the only ones understanding what the consequences could be.

"You don't have to worry," Star says suddenly. "We can do it. Just like we did before after my birthday."

Drogo sighs, "Fine. But do not come here looking for me. I must lead you here. I don't want you getting lost in the slums, you got it!"

Cheers, clapping and hugging go through the younger kids.

The oldest girl hides her face in her hands, "I got a bad feeling about this."

The happiness lasts another four days. The Galkas are puzzled at how nearly thirty Hume children could up and disappear in the slums but remembering the warning of the arbiter they hide from sight when the children appear in the mornings and evenings. Then a six year old girl from a wealthy merchant family picks some of the flowers for her mother.

"Oh what were you thinking bringing these Goddess awful weeds into this house!"

Her daughter cries as she throws them away, "But I picked them for you, Momma!"

"These are not flowers! These are trash!"

"But Gamesage said they are pretty flowers!" she wails.

Her father puts the newspaper down from reading in his favorite plush chair and takes his pipe from his mouth, "Gamesage? Don't tell me that you play with that Galka boy?"

She nods quietly sniffling.

Her mother throws her hands in the air disgusted, "Oh! No wonder you've been misbehaving! You've probably even been playing with those ruffians from Port too!" She points at the daughter, "At least some good can come of this. You better tell us where you picked these so we can punish the gardener properly young lady!"

"Gamesage doesn't have a gardener or any other servants! He does everything himself and his home is even bigger than ours!"

Her father folds his newspaper placing it on the side table and leans forward, "And what do you mean by that?"

She turns to her father, "Gamesage is so rich he owns an entire street not just a little house like ours. He even has it roped off with a "Do Not Enter" sign to keep people from trespassing. And he has so many wonderful things you wouldn't believe."

"And what does he have exactly?" asks the mother.

"He has lots of flowers and a big veggie garden, and pet bunnies and chickens. And his rooms are full of so many things. They look like trash but he says they are wonderful treasures worth a lot of money."

Her father smirks odiously, "What's worth a lot of money?"

"He as rooms full of pieces of rusty metal, and broken wood but what is really great is all the toys he has and all the ropes to climb and swing on."

"And you just believed him when he said that?" he asks.

She shakes her head, "No, no one believed him but then he went and got a box to show us and it was full of money! Even more than what's in my piggy bank."

"And what does this box look like?"

"It looks like the box you keep your cigars in Papa."

Her father stands up, "Well then, I think it is close enough to supper that you should be getting cleaned up." He calls over the maid standing at the door, "Martha, come here and prepare my daughter for supper."

"Yes, my Lord." The maid takes the little girl and disappears.

"James you come her as well."

The male servant comes over and bows, "Yes my lord."

"I need you to carefully empty out one of my cigar boxes and bring the box here to the parlor."

"But honey why?" the mother asks perplexed.

"It's elementary my dear. How are we to know how much money was stolen from us if we do not know the size of the container the coins were in?"

She starts to clap her hands excitedly and they both laugh.

"Right away my lord," the servant leaves the room.

"But darling what about our daughter? Won't she warn the rat?" muses her mother.

Her father smiles, "I think she's about to take a bad fall."

"Good idea! If she is capable of playing with vermin then we need to correct our error and bestow upon her the propriety of her station. I'll hold her down so we don't accidently mar her face. A blemish would detract from her bride price."

After carefully unpacking the cigars from a box, the servant sighs dejectedly. He looks around to make sure he's completely alone. Then he punches the wall, "Those monsters!" he thinks, "Are they really planning to kill a child!"

The next day Drogo comes to the gathering point. "Where is Clementine?" he asks.

"The butler said she isn't feeling well," answers one of the other rich kids, "He said she won't be playing with us for awhile."

"Awe, that's too bad," Drogo says, "We'll have to get her a present to make her feel better."

"We were already talking about that," says the oldest girl, "I'll be giving her some of my old toys since…" she hesitates, "well since her parents probably won't let her keep some of the toys you have."

Drogo nods understanding.

"Actually if someone could pass this to her, that would be nice." He hands the oldest girl a small bundle. It rattles like glass. She unwraps and finds about a baker's dozen of glass roses of all colors and mixtures. All the girls gather round when they see her hold up a pendant by its string.

"Oh Gamesage! Where did you find these in the garbage?" one says putting her necklace.

He shakes his head, "I only found the glass. I made those from broken marbles."

"What? How? There's no way you could make a fire that hot? My family has a glass factory," the oldest says girl.

"No but I can make one hot enough to make it soft."

"But about all the tools our workers use?"

"Bricks and a metal box, old ceramics from the Alchemy Guild, broken tweezers, leather scrapes and old gloves. You Humes always like shiny things, like blackbirds." Drogo scowls, "You have no idea what you really have," he says with some emotion in his voice.

She hugs the smelly little Galka boy, "I'm sorry. I'll never take trash for granted again."

Drogo closes his eyes and swallows hard recognizing the patronization in her voice.

"Ok then charge!" shouts Star running off.

"Bunnies!" Icie runs off after her.

In the slums, Star turns around and stares back the way they came. She holds her hand out and begins walking like if she was "it" in a game of blind man's bluff. She stops and stares at a wall, "Hello. Have you come to play with us?"

"Star what are you doing? We need to hurry, it's not safe here." The oldest girl grabs Star by her shoulders and pulls her away. She waves good bye at the wall.

"How did she know we were here?" whispers a Galkan voice.

"I don't know. All our buffs are still up," says a second.

"Should we continue or report back?" asks a third.

"And tell them what we got caught by a kitten?" retorts a fourth.

"We keep going," says a fifth, "We need something to bring back."

The Galka informants continue to follow the children. To their horror, they witness them going underneath the ropes. One tries to call out but is grabbed over the mouth. "I know, I know. But we need to report this," says the fifth voice.

"And why didn't you follow them further?" the Hume handler asks angrily.

"That section of the slums was ordered abandoned by the Tales Keeper. We will not disobey him," they all answer stubbornly.

"Why was it ordered abandoned?" asks the Hume military officer taking the report.

"We don't know," an informant says, "It was before our time."

"But you're well over hundred?" the handler says.

He shakes his head, "The order was given by the Tales Keeper before Sir Raogrimm. I don't know whether the reason has survived the generations. I have never heard it. All anyone knows is that we are forbidden to enter."

"And no one has ever entered even out of curiosity?" the Hume officer asks surprised.

Another Galka shakes his head, "We are not ruled by the waffling passions of the moment as you Humes are. The Tales Keepers are hand selected by Altana Herself. We would not disobey them no more than we would disobey Her. That boy has committed an evil sacrilege entering that area. I can't even imagine what punishment to give him. It's as if someone dropped a stone and instead of falling down it flew up in the sky!"

"Is that the conclusion of your report?" the officer asks annoyed.

"Yes that is all we have," says one of the Galkas.

"Then you are all dismissed."

After they leave their handler turns to the officer, "My apologies sir. Galkas can be such a superstitious breed."

"There is no need to apologize. They have given us all we need." He turns to another soldier in the room, "Make preparations to scout the area tonight so we can move in tomorrow to make the arrest and seize the stolen goods."

"Yes sir!" He salutes and leaves.

"But Sir, shouldn't we first find why that area was abandoned in the first place?" the handler asks.

"I see no need," he says, "It was probably abandoned for structural issues."

"I doubt that," the handler says, "You don't know the Galkas like I do. They'd live under a rock if they had to. They sleep piled one on top the other in rooms smaller than a closet in the slums. They would never abandon an entire street like that without a very compelling reason."

"If they'd rather sleep under rocks then they better go back to deserts of Zepwell where they belong for all I care." He waves him out of the room, "You are dismissed! Leave at once."

The next day while the kids are playing, Ceddie kicks the ball into a door. It squeaks open and rolls inside. A girl runs to get it. She runs back out screaming. The others run to see.

Suddenly the slums fill with the sounds of screaming children. The Galkas rush to find the source of the screaming. They gather hopelessly at the ropes when they realize the direction of the screams, unwilling to enter.

Finally they witness the children come running down the street, the older ones carrying the smaller, "Murder! Murder! Murder!"

Drogo stands in the room staring at the Hume bodies. He's crying, but not in fear. "You really did it this time!" he screams. He starts punching the part of the wall in shadow. "You did it! You really did it! It's over! Everything!"

"He says they were going to hurt you."

He turns and sees Star behind him, "What did you say?"

"Your murdered friend, he says they were going to hurt you. He was protecting you."

"How do you know?" Star walks in and holds her hand out into the shadow, "I can talk to him while awake. He says you can only hear him in your dreams."

Drogo stares at her crying, "If you can really talk to him while awake, tell me his real name. So I know you're not fibbing."

Star leans in and whispers in his ear.

Drogo nods. Star steps back.

"So they were trying to hurt me last night?" he asks again.

Star nods, "Yes that's what he said."

Drogo kicks the boot of one of the Hume bodies bitterly. "Can you ask him what they were doing for me?"

Star nods and puts her hands against the wall. "He says we can move to another room away from the bodies. He'll walk through the wall meet us in the next room."

The sun crosses into early afternoon. Zelig has abandoned his unit and is racing desperately through the slums. He runs a corner and slams into an old Hume man knocking him over.

"Father!" a younger man shouts and he and several other Humes gather around them.

"I'm so sorry!" Zelig says helping him up. He gets a good look at him. "Wait! You're the head of the Smithing Guild! What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to save a valued costumer," he says brushing himself off.

"Sir, the way to the roof tops is over here," points his son.

"Why are you heading to the roofs?" Zelig asks.

"The soldiers have blocked the streets. We can't get to Drogo any other way."

Zelig joins them running across the roofs.

"So your Drogo's new father?" asks one of the Humes.

Zelig nods.

"That's good to hear," the Guild Master says, "That boy needs someone to care for him."

"How do you know him?" Zelig asks.

"That boy is one of our best scavengers," the Guild Master says, "Been so for nearly a decade."

"Your boy stumbled on a gold mine," starts his son, "There's an abandoned Tenshodo dock hidden under those rooms. Flooding and corrosion has ruined most of the machines there from normal use but the metal is worth a small fortune."

"And we have paid him well for it," the Guild Master says. "If those soldiers find any of that money there's no saving his life but unfortunately it's already too late to save him."

"What do you mean Father?"

"Even if proven innocent as he is, he's blacklisted now. Any chance for an honest life here is over. It's too bad. He's a smart boy. I was bragging about him to Cid the other day."

Suddenly they see an old Galka trying to lift another one onto the roofs in front of them. Zelig and the other Humes help Werei lift Gumbah onto the roofs.

"Elders what are you doing here?" Zelig asks.

"We need to get to those soldiers but the crowds are too thick," Gumbah pants out of breath.

They join the race. "You surprise me Zelig," Elder Werei says, "You've always been a model for the community."

"And what about you two, you're our Elders for Altana's sake."

"A little sign like that isn't enough to stop two rambunctious young lads like we were in our youth, huh Gumbah?" He looks over at his childhood friend.

Gumbah nods unable to speak he's panting so hard.

Werei looks ahead of them at the stark line the mountain is casting over the slums, "We need to hurry and warn the soldiers before that shadow reaches them or it's all over."

"What do you mean?" the Guild Master asks, "My men and I have been there on multiple occasions for over a decade now and have never encountered any trouble."

Werei and Gumbah look at him completely startled.

"Drogo told me it likes him," Zelig explains, "It probably doesn't attack people Drogo considers friends. I can't imagine Drogo bringing the children here otherwise."

"What are you talking about?" the son asks.

"Oh no. We're not going to make it in time." Werei cups his hands around his mouth and starts screaming. The Humes grimace in terror, then start waving frantically and screaming as well.

Down in the streets, Drogo and Star, now filthy with soot, are both tied up being interrogated by the officer. Behind them soldiers are ransacking his home. Broken flowerpots are everywhere as soldiers throw them out of the way. Wagons are being loaded with his collections of scrap metal and other belongings. They even strip his garden clean and struggle with the unruly animals. On any other occasion the sight of Bastok's finest frantically chasing chickens and bunnies would be hilarious, but not today.

Drogo is wailing face red with tears, "Why are you doing this? You're supposed to be protecting us!"

The officer from before takes his helmet off and wipes his face clean on this blistering day. "I'm growing tired of your games! Now tell us were you hide the money you little rat!" he demands.

"I didn't steal anything! You're the ones stealing!" he bawls.

"Oh really then how does a boy come across such abundance? Who are your accomplices!"

"I live alone," he screams "Everything is mine. I'm a scavenger. I've never stolen anything honest!"

"Even if you didn't steal that family's money, Hording is a more serious crime. It is stealing from the state in this crisis of war and can carry death."

Poor Drogo starts to scream even louder.

"You're running out of time!" Star shouts over Drogo. "He doesn't like you being here and hurting Drogo! The suns almost behind the mountain! You need to leave or he'll kill you like he did the others!"

The officer turns to Star, "You can't scare us with you imaginary friend stories girl. We've already cleared and secured the area."

The sun begins to hide its shining face behind the peaks casting its long silhouette over the slums. "Ah finally! It's starting to cool down," he says rejoicing.

"That's not a good thing you need to go!" Star screams.

"Hey sir!" a soldier shouts from the roofs.

"What is it?" he calls back up.

"There's a Galka soldier and what appears to be some Hume and Galka civilians running across the roofs in this direction! They are screaming something but we can't make it out!"

"Galkas coming in here?" he thinks.

Suddenly the temperature goes from a cooling breeze to a bone chilling snap in an instant. What looks like black smoke rolls out like a drifting fog out of all the doors and windows choking the entire area. The soldiers' breath turns to steam as they cough.

Panicked screams begin to come from the rooftop garden. One yells "Put me down! Put Me Down!" Then the officer gets his first glimpse of the assailant.

The dark figure of a towering Galka appears at the edge of the roofs dangling the soldier by his foot. "Don't put me Down! Don't Put Me Down!" he switches. The Galka callously drops him to his death.

"Everyone after that rat! I want him dead!" the officer orders. The soldiers start to rush to the roofs.

"You can't kill him!" Star shouts, "You need to run away!"

"And why is that little girl?" he asks completely annoyed.

"Because he's already dead!"

He turns when he hears the sounds and clanking weapons and scattered screams. The dark Galka is hovering midair above them surveying the scene. The officer too drops his sword in terror and takes a few steps back. The Fomor then raises its arms calling the miasma to him. It coalesces and materializes into two great swords in either hand. It begins to descend.

"Full retreat!" the officer yells.

At the entrance where the fishing net once was, the Galka soldiers who refused to enter are on crowd patrol keeping the large group of angry civilians that have gathered away. Word of Drogo's hiding spot has spread quickly.

Words fly in Galkan.

"(Drogo would never steal anything! He's a good boy!)" screams one Galka.

"(I can't believe he would enter the forbidden ground)," moans another.

"(I can)," chuckles the Galka next to him.

As the shadow falls across them, they can hear screaming from back the street. Then soldiers begin rounding the corner screaming. The bellowing miasmic cloud soon appears chasing after them.

"Fomor! Fomor!" they yell running up.

The crowd panics and begins to flee, trampling others underfoot unfortunate enough to trip.

Chaos ensues.

It takes about a half hour for things to come back under control. As the officer plans their next move a commotion stirs through the soldiers. They part like the sea revealing the Mythril Musketeers walking towards him.

"Captain Klara!" he salutes.

She hands him a paper, "Orders from President Prien. You are to cede jurisdiction of this incident to the Mythril Musketeers and withdraw your men."

Screams of "Unhand me at once!" can be heard back in the crowd.

A group of Galkan soldiers carry a Mithra warrior kicking and screaming hands bound behind her back. They toss her to the ground and salute, "Sir we caught this Mithra trespassing the perimeter."

She makes her way to her knees, "I am Major Viki Sayma of the Copperheads! I demand custody of my daughter! Release her to me at once!"

Captain Klara turns to the officer, "What is this about a Mithra child?"

He looks at the ground, "There was a girl we arrested with the suspect… but they were lost to the Fomor."

"You abandoned children in your retreat!" Volker yells.

Major Viki starts to cry.

"You have our deepest condolences Major," Captain Klara says.

Major Viki looks up at her, "I want no condolences. I want my right to vengeance."

"I am truly sorry but we cannot let you interfere with our mission," Zeid says.

Major Viki comes to her feet, "I am a Pythoness. I come from one of the finest families in the Motherland. You will need my talents against this undead."

"What is a Pythoness? Is that like an exorcist?" asks Volker.

Major Viki turns to him, "If that is the word in your language for those you put the unruly spirits into their proper rest, then yes I am an exorcist."

Captain Klara takes her sword and cuts her ropes, "You can assist us, but you must obey my commands."

Major Viki rubs her sore wrists and nods.

As they talk, another ruckus starts near the entrance. When they arrive, the officer starts to cry. The lost men, including the man dropped from the roof are walking towards them. The children, Zelig, the Elders, and the men from the Smithing Guild are with them.

"Brother!" shouts the man who fell waving his arms.

"Mommy!" shouts Star.

Captain Klara orders a briefing, "How did you survive?"

The men begin to talk about waking up to witness a beautiful angel standing before them. Some claim to have witnessed Altana Herself.

While they are giving their statements Star takes something out of her pocket, "Mommy look what I found."

She gives her some burnt paper and some others folded into a sealed container filled with something heavy. She sniffs them, "These smell like gunpowder."

Captain Klara comes over to them shaking her head after they leave with their unit. "Other than claims of the supernatural, they have no useful information."

Major Viki stands up, "Captain, my daughter found these on the battlefield. They smell like gunpowder."

When Major Viki hands them to her one goes off with a loud pop. Sparkling wings form on Captain's Klara's back.

"Mommy! She's an angel!" Star tugs on her arm excited.

"No she's not," Drogo says, "Those are Angelwing fireworks."

"Looks like they were actually saved by a female White Mage with a sense of humor," Volker says.

Gumbah and Werei glance at each other and Zelig chuckles.

Star begins grabbing at the fireworks in Captain Klara's hands, "I wanna try! I wanna try! I wanna be an angel too!"

"Sorry little girl," Zeid says pushing her away, "But you can't play with those. They are needed for evidence."

Star starts throwing a hissy fit, kicking, punching and whining.

Major Viki tries to calm her down. "We can find you some different ones to try sweetie," she says kneeling down, "And besides you don't need simple toys like that to show everyone you're an angel. You already have wings you just can't see them yet."

This calms her down.

"When I become a real angel I'll come back and show you my pretty new wings. Ok Mommy?"

Major Viki nods trying not to cry.

"And what do your presents here mean?" Captain Klara asks the others as her wings fade.

"We came to warn them of the Fomor but we we're barred from the area," Werei begins, "We then climbed on the roofs hoping to reach them that way but we were too late."

Gumbah nods.

"And what of you soldier?" she turns to Zelig, "You are not part of that unit."

Zelig pulls Drogo over to him, "This boy is my child. When I heard of this I ran here and also ended up on the roofs."

"Did your commanding officer give you leave Private?" she asks.

Zelig stutters, "No…No Ma'am…"

"No matter your good intentions you will need to be disciplined for abandoning your unit soldier," Captain Klara says.

"I understand fully," Zelig answers hanging his head.

"And what of you? You're all from the Smithing Guild I am correct?"

"Yes we are," starts the Guild Master, "This boy here works for our guild. And we pay him well for his fine work. We were frightened that if his wage was discovered that it might be mistaken for the stolen money. Captain I will give you all of our records and receipts. Every coin in this boy's possession is completely accounted for, down to the last penny."

"Drogo did you every show anyone your money against what we told you?" his son asks.

"I just showed my friends when they didn't believe me that my stuff was worth money. They called everything I had worthless trash."

"Do you play with children from the Markets families?"

Drogo nods, "Yep. I play with a bunch of them."

"Were any of them missing from today?" he continues.

"One girl named Clementine was. The butler said she's really sick and can't play but her neighbor said she said she fell. Their bedrooms are across from each other and they talk though their windows. He said she was crying really bad and was all bruised up."

Hearing this, the Guild Master turns to Captain Klara, "I bet if you check that address you'll discover that they were the ones who reported the robbery. Who else would know that this young man had anything to his name?"

"We will have to look into both your receipts and this counter accusation." She turns to Drogo, "But before that you must show us your savings. The report said no money was found in the search."

Drogo shakes his head, "No I can't let you in there. It's in the Fomor's secret room and he's not in a good mood right now."

"A secret room?" Zeid asks.

Drogo nods, "Blue Iceberg was a Tenshodo smuggler. There's a secret room that they used back then but it was abandoned after he was murdered centuries ago. There's nothing down there now but what I keep."

Star tugs on her mother's arm, "I know you said pirates are bad Mommy but he was a good pirate. He and his lady friend saved an old man from being killed when some bad men came to steal his nice bag."

"A bag?" she asks.

"It was pretty Mommy! It was white with a picture of a mountain on it, and it had…"

All the grown Galkas bump into each other rushing to cover her mouth. Gumbah and Werei rub their heads after bagging them together.

"I take it there is some significance to this bag?" Captain Klara asks.

Gumbah, Werei, Zelig, and Zeid all glance at each other for some time not knowing what to say.

Finally Gumbah sighs and starts talking, "The bag is used during our rebirth. The old Galka must have been on his way to the mountains for his final journey when he was mugged. They must have been Humes. No Galka would ever do such a thing."

"Yes they were Hume soldiers," Drogo says. "He showed me in a dream how he died," he points to Star, "But Star can talk to him when she's wake, he showed her too."

"Mommy I told him about you and how you help dead people find what they are looking for and he said he wants you to help him," she says, "He's looking for the lady friend. She was beat up and dragged off by the bad men."

Major Viki turns to Captain Klara, "Looks like we may have a peaceful solution to this Fomor. If we can settle things, he may pass on his own or weaken enough that is will take little effort to help him on his way."

"No," Captain Klara orders, "I would risk laying our arms down to this creature until we understand why the Fomor is violent towards some people and not others."

"It was me," Drogo says, "I was the one. That's why he protects me and won't hurt anyone I like."

"But he lived and died in Port?" Zelig says.

Drogo looks up at him and shakes his head, "No it was the one before last."

All the Galkas grimace in fear and rage. Zelig punches a wall, "Damn them! It was no robbery it was an assassination!"

"Why do you say that?" demands Captain Klara.

"He was our Great Enfranchiser," Zeid laments.

"What does that big word mean?" Drogo asks.

Zelig turns from the wall and puts his hands on his shoulders lovingly, "It means that he had many friends. Just like I know you will too."

Drogo nods grinning.

"Talking will get us nowhere," Captain Klara says. She turns to the men from the Smithing Guild, "Go prepare you papers for examination and be ready to turn them over. Leave us to the Fomor."

They nod and leave.

She next turns to Drogo, "Can you ensure our safety with this undead child?"

Drogo nods, "Yes, as long as you don't do anything to provoke him while you're with me."

She turns to Major Viki, "And this route is the safest in your expertise?"

Major Viki nods as well, "Yes, it will take some added time but it will be the least dangerous option. And since it is not aggressive under normal circumstances, there is no dire need for more risky maneuvers."

"Then let us proceed," she orders, "Take us to it child."

"Ok he's this way!" Star shouts running off. They all follow her.

They round the corner into what is left of Drogo's home. All his belongings are scattered though the street. What had some value is gathered into the now broken wagons and everything else is shattered over the ground. Rahabs and chickens are running wild, many huddled around the wilting plants munching away.

Drogo wails and grabs the nearest adult, which is Volker.

Gumbah chases some chickens away and picks up a clump of dead flowers, "You took a lot of pride in your home didn't you? It's rare to see such care in the slums."

"We're rebuilding this place," Zelig says, "stone by stone, flower by flower. It will be just as beautiful as before."

"A roof top garden and pen was a good idea," Werei says, "We can do so much here for the community."

"Drogo said he always gives things away," Star says, "Even his toys!"

"Take us to the Fomor children," commands Captain Klara.

"He died over here!" Star runs into a stairwell, "Mr. Iceberg! I brought Mommy and friends! Don't hurt them please! They good people!"

The Fomor greets them at the top of the stairs, still holding its two great swords. It scans the new intruders and stares at little Drogo holding Volker's hand. The swords dissolve back into miasma, then it too evaporates into the shadows. Five doors down a black arm peaks out a door beckoning them to enter.

They come inside. It is slightly larger than most of the rooms. There is a pile of straw with a blanket on top. They are covered in a layer of dust.

"This isn't your room?" Zelig asks.

Drogo scratches his nose, "When I first came here I made a bed for him not knowing…" he says embarrassed.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about," Major Viki says, "I'm sure he appreciated the gesture."

"I see nothing out of the ordinary here," says Captain Klara. "Where is the passage?"

Drogo points towards the right corner, "The entrance is hidden by those two large stones in the floor. They can be lifted up."

"I can't see any disruption in the floor. How did you discover it?" Volker asks.

"Blue Iceberg showed me a long time ago. He hides down there and comes up through the floor."

Major Viki walks into the center of the room and clasps her hands together in prayer, "Restless spirit, please reveal to me the desires that cause you to wander so I may help your find your peace."

A thin wisp of miasma extrudes from between the stones and encircles her eyes like a blind fold.

"Are you alright Major!" Captain Klara shouts.

"I'm fine," she says holding her arms out, "He's showing me his world. Please move out of the way if I approach I can no longer see you."

She begins to walk the room, maneuvering around nonexistent furniture. She moves her hand along a straight line about chin level on her then examines her fingers. Major Viki shakes her hand trying to remove something. Then something catches her eye and walks over to the pile of straw staring at the wall. She removes her hair tie and repulls her hair high gathering the loose ends then retwists it into place.

"What are you seeing?" Volker asks.

"I'm seeing that he wasn't much for dusting in life for one," she jokes.

"Please be serious Major and report to us you observations," Captain Klara commands.

Major Viki is witnessing a modestly furnished room. A simple bed covers the hidden passage. There is a small table and two chairs serving more as an eating nook than even an informal dining area. There is a cabinet and a free standing full length mirror and a folding tray being used as a portable desk.

Major Viki twitches her left ear and turns towards the door.

"What is it?" Zeid asks.

"I hear laughter."

The modest light shows it's mid afternoon. A smaller than average Galka with black spiked hair dressed in dusty Worker Tunica garb comes into the room with a fully cloaked figure too thin to be one of his brethren. He goes to light the lamps then closes the heavy drapes over the doorway, "Ok, we're safe now."

"Good. I'm getting sweaty in this heavy thing," the cloak figure says in a high voice.

She lowers her hood revealing a young woman with shimmering black hair and large brown eyes. She brushes her hair behind her ears uncovering large ruby earrings encircled with diamonds.

The Galka walks behind her and takes her cloak as she unties it. He walks over to the nook and carefully lays it over the chairs giving Major Viki an unobstructed view.

The young woman's hair reaches well past her lower back. Although straight at first, it begins to wave then curl about midway down her back. She turns around. Her clothes are fine woven and brightly dyed.

"She's beautiful," Major Viki adds.

The woman rushes over and surprises the Galka turning around by wrapping her arms around him and puts her lips to his. After the initial shock, he closes his eyes and hugs her. They kiss passionately for a time then she pulls back and playfully licks the tip of his nose. They both giggle.

All the Galkas but Zelig react repugnantly to the news. Although Zelig is notably surprised, he is not so repulsed.

He lifts her up and spins her around laughing.

"Hey put me down," she giggles.

He puts her down, "I thought of you every night."

"I missed you as well," she says, "I take it your first raid went well since you've come back to me…"

He puts his finger to her lips, "Don't call me that. I have a new nickname now."

"Oh really?" she asks.

He takes a few steps back holds his arms out proudly. "I am the Blue Iceberg," he boasts.

"The Blue Iceberg you say?" she laughs, "Then I'll have to see if I can melt you down to size then."

She begins to loosen his coat buttons. He stops her.

"Before we get to that, I have a surprise for you," he whispers.

Major Viki instinctively moves out of the way as he walks over to the bed and pulls a trunk from underneath. He opens it and takes a small box from it.

"I took this instead of my pay from the raid," he says standing up. "Now close your eyes and no peeking."

She closes her eyes but she tries to peek when she hears the clasp on the box release.

"I said no peeking," he puts his hand over her eyes.

"Awe, you're no fun tonight," she sticks out her tongue.

She smiles and giggles when she feels him taking her earrings and necklace off and hears him put them on his cabinet. The new earrings he inserts feel heavy on her ears and the pressure from the new necklace stretches from her neck and shoulders to well past her bosom. He guides her to his mirror.

"Ok open your eyes," he whispers in her right ear.

She opens her eyes and gasps. The weight she feels is well over a hundred diamonds of all sizes set in sterling mythril arranged in a sunburst pattern. She stares in the mirror silently for a time.

"Wow you're actually speechless. I better mark this on my calendar," he jokes.

She only slowly raises her hand and fingers the necklace.

"Are you alright?" he asks now concerned.

"What ship did you attack that carried things like these?"

"We had a run-in with a San d'Orian ship. It was carrying nothing special. Finding those was a total shock."

She turns to him, "How many died?"

He shakes his head, "No one. They gave up immediately." He chuckles, "They actually had storm damage and lost their main mast. Never thought I'd see a ship so thankful to be found by pirates."

"Were there anything else like these?"

"Yes, there were lots of jewels hidden in various boxes and barrels we confiscated as payment for the rescue. But these were the most beautiful. I couldn't bear the thought of them being broken up for sale. So I begged for them saying I knew a customer that would take it whole."

She turns back to the mirror. He can see her almost on the brink of tears. He puts his hands on her shoulders, "What's wrong?"

"Where was the ship headed?" she asks closing her eyes.

"We took her to the Tavnazian current so they would drift with the tide to shore. We couldn't very well dock at the Royal Protectorate."

She smirks softly, "It's rare that pirates and smugglers are more virtuous that legitimate merchants. I bet these are blood diamonds from the wars." She turns back around, "Were there any family seals among the boxes?"

Blue Iceberg nods, "Please keep this between us."

She nods.

He gives her back her cloak. He moves his bed and lifts the stones. They go beneath.

"Spirit, I cannot follow you," Major Viki half shouts. She then spins in circles acting completely disoriented. Then she takes a deep breath and sits down.

"What's happening?" Zeid says.

"He's taking me below. I dare not walk anymore."

The ruckus stops in the smuggler's den as Blue Iceberg leads a cloaked figure down the steps. A man walks up to them, "Iceberg what is this! How dare you bring someone here."

Iceberg lifts the clocked figure gently down the last few steps, "This is the customer I mentioned. Where's the chest that had the necklace in it? The one with the family crest. There's worry about its previous owner."

"You still shouldn't have brought him here. We could have taken a rubbing of the crest."

"Do pirates always fear a gracile woman so much?"

The men jump back surprised at the meek feminine voice.

He turns around to the other men, "Bring the box and find a clean chair. We have a lady in our presents so watch your mouths!"

Everyone drops what they are doing and rush around. Someone has the presents of mind to grab a broom and clean the floor in front of her feet. Others quickly follow and out of a scene from Palm Sunday they make a path to the chair they bring.

The man takes his hat off and bows, "This way my lady."

"Why thank you," she says extending her hand to be led.

He gets a good look at her hands. He is surprised at how perfect they are. Pure with neatly manicured nails, he wonders if they have ever even seen a single paper cut in all her years.

She stands there frozen for a time hand extended. Then Iceberg walks forward and takes it, "Forgive them. They are not well versed in courtly manners." He leads her to the chair and seats her.

"We found the box Boss!" a young man says rounding a corner. As he says it three men come carrying it over. They lay it at her feet.

She gasps covering her mouth with her right hand.

Major Viki starts to panic.

"The spider's not real Mommy," Star says worried.

"It's no spider! I know that mark. Oh what an evil house!"

The cloaked woman looks up from the box, "Do you know whom this insignia identifies? You might as well have stolen from the San d'Orian king himself."

"I am well aware of it my lady," the boss says, "That's why I was shocked that Iceberg was so insistent on keeping it whole."

She turns to look at him, "Do you not know?"

Iceberg shrugs, "I know they're a powerful house. That's why I thought of you. This doesn't outstrip even your family's means does it?"

She fingers the necklace still around her neck, "No. These are well within our means." She turns back to the boss, "Iceberg said that you rescued the ship carrying this after its mast had sheared off. There's only one thing on Vana'diel that has that kind of strength. She had come from the Southlands didn't she? From the diamond wars?"

"I do not know, but that logic would hold," the boss confesses, "Are you superstitious about it?"

She shakes her head, "No. You came to these by saving a life, not by taking. That in of itself would have broken any curse they would carry."

"If you still feel nervous, we are making arrangements to have the gems blessed as a safeguard. We can include the diamonds if you wish."

She nods, "Very well then. Let it be done. But on one condition."

"And what is that?"

She starts to weep, "My parents have gotten special permission to proceed with my arranged marriage even though he's half my age, but I've been with another man for nearly three years now. As unholy as it may be, a Tenshodo Chaplin is still a Chaplin is he not?" She looks back up at him, "I will give you everything your heart desires, just get me out of here."

The boss jumps backwards startled, "You're Josephine Wallace an't ya?"

A panic goes through the men as she drops her hood.

"Iceberg are you mad! She's Senator Corley Wallace's daughter!" shouts one of the workers.

Josephine stands abruptly and begins to shout with authority as if lecturing unruly servants or children, "And who do you think has been your salvation! The source that has rescued you again and again, warning you of spies and raids! It's been me the whole time! The doting daughter silently doing needlepoint at her father's feet! All I ask is for you to save me in return! I refuse to marry that nine year old boy! I am determined to end up in the sea one way or another! Whether there is a boat under my feet when I step off the dock is up to you!"

Josephine collapses. Iceberg grabs her before she soils her dress and carries her in his arms. She clings to his neck and trembles uncontrollably.

"If you jump, I'll follow you," he whispers in her ear.

He turns to his boss, "We have to help her. She's one of us. I would have never have let her down here otherwise."

"Do you have any idea what will happen to us if we do this?"

"Nothing that wouldn't have happened to us anyway if she hadn't been sending us word these past few years!"

"Why are you being so stubborn!" shouts another worker, "You can't possibly be that dumb!"

"Wait," starts the boss raising his hand to make them stop heckling. "You've known about this the whole time? Everything?"

Iceberg nods. "How? You're just a common laborer."

"Until I took my walk to the warehouses nearly three years ago," Iceberg retorts.

"Then you are her messenger?"

"One of them, yes." He takes a deep breath.

The boss sighs and shakes his head, "Your plea isn't just over the forced marriage is it? This marriage takes you out of a position that is beneficial to the Tenshodo? Logic would hold a woman of your position wouldn't abandon her post so readily after all your sacrifices. The lower classes are more monogamous than those who preach it. Such a thing should be of no concern otherwise."

She sits back down with a thud. "It's over," she says exhausted.

"Please," she looks up from the ground, "I'm no free loader. I will willingly decimate my manicure with whatever task the Tenshodo gives me. I've been your loyal wench for years. Protect me like you would any other pirate and smuggler."

Iceberg walks behind her and puts his hands on her shoulders, the earrings blanketing much of his large hands.

"And what of your lover?" the boss asks.

"He will follow me to Norg when he is able," she answers, "He is far more to me than just a simple messenger."

The boss shakes his head again and sighs, "Next ship leaves in three nights. Be here by sunset."

She jumps up squealing and hugs Iceberg. Everyone looks away. She pulls back and looks into his eyes, "There's no need for a ring. These are more than enough," she whispers.

Major Viki stands up again and looks around the room, the miasma ring still around her eyes.

"What is it?" Captain Klara asks.

"I'm in the room again." She sees a travel chest on the bed, "I think it's the three days later. The sun is gone and there are packed bags."

A familiar cloaked figure runs into the room followed by Blue Iceberg. "I'm surprised you have no bags," he says.

"I have all I need." She drops her hood revealing the diamonds.

He nods and walks to the bed. She turns and follows him with her eyes. Josephine watches him lift the bags from the bed, "I've never seen bags like that before."

"Goblin tailors," Iceberg says pulling the bed away from the wall. He lifts the stones.

Soldiers pour out of the hole. Blue Iceberg tips over the bed blocking the way and joins Josephine in the dash out the door. As they run around the corner more soldiers are waiting. They turn back, the sound of broken wood comes from his room and the other soldiers trip over each other yelling as they shove each other through the door. The two look below thinking of jumping down but a mix of soldiers and Tenshodo workers are below them. Josey puts her hands over her mouth.

"Josey up the roof," Iceberg says sternly.

"No I'm not leaving you!" she shouts.

Iceberg lifts her up and tries to force her onto the roofs.

"Blue-bug? Blue-bug!" she begins to shout suddenly finding her feet left dangling barely able to hold onto the roof.

She listens to him scream for a few moments before a legion of hands reach up her skirt and grab her legs. The grimace of rage lasts only a moment at the humiliation of being fondled as she starts to scream and kick. Her fingers give way and she plummets. Josephine finds herself upside down staring at the ground. Her skirt falls over her face as the soldiers holding on to one leg try to pull her up. The look of rage returns.

"How dare you!" she screams. She plants her foot into the face of one poor soul throwing him back into the wall grasping his broken nose.

Josephine is finally pulled over the railing. To her horror she sees some of the Tenshodo men she had meet three days prior among the soldiers freely. In her moment of realization to what is really happening takes hold, the soldiers manage to overcome her thrashing. But before the can bind her like Blue Iceberg, a Ninja raises his katana.

"Behind!" Josephine screams. She head butts the soldier holding her and dashes forward. Blue Iceberg manages to turn his neck around in spite the ropes and witness Josephine jumps on the Ninja's back kicking and clawing.

He screams and hits his knees.

She spits his ear on the ground and picks up his katana. Before the soldiers can restrain her again she plunges it through the Ninja's neck severing everything spine forward. Josephine then holding it like a kitchen blade finishes the job, like chopping vegetables for soup.

A man wearing a cape alongside his armor comes up the stairs and surveys the scene. He points at a body wrapped in Blue Iceberg's now blood soaked curtains.

"Explain this casualty in a routine raid!" he barks at the soldiers.

"Police Chief Wallace Sir!" a soldier stands up from kneeling next to Josephine, "This woman here killed one of the Ninja's assisting in the arrest." He hands him her jewelry, "She had these in her possession."

He is shocked at their beauty. "I don't remember any reports of something of this caliber being stolen." He looks at the blood soaked woman, "Their proper owners will be thankful that at least they are not damaged."

Chief Wallace kneels down to examine her, "You're scrappier than you look," he says.

"Thank you, but you'd be surprised at what the women in your kitchens are capable of Cedric" she says back.

Chief Wallace is so surprised he falls backwards on his behind. "Water and washcloth! Now!" he orders trembling.

Chief Wallace carefully cleans her face. "Baby si…" his voice trails off.

"Ah, so you survived…" a voice comes from behind.

"Senator!" shout several soldiers as everyone rushes to stand and salute. "I had a kidnapping and murder story ready for the press but I see some revisions to the scrip are in order."

"What do you mean Father!" Chief Cedric says spinning around.

"Why the kidnapping and murder of your sister at the hands of the Tenshodo of course," Senator Wallace says coldly. "The public outrage over it would have been a fine tool for the election."

He kneels down and grips his daughter's chin, "But here you are safe and sound, no matter, as the only son the Gutenberg fortune will pass to us whether you bear fruit or not."

Josephine wrenches her chin from his hand and glares at him.

He laughs as he stands.

"Ah, I remember you." Senator Wallace walks over and gently kicks Blue Iceberg to grab his attention. "You're the rat that pulls my daughter's rickshaw, Tiny Mouse."

"My name's Blue Iceberg!" he shouts back.

Everyone laughs.

"Iceberg you say!" starts the Senator, "If I didn't know your kind was a race of eunuchs I'd think you were compensating for something!"

"Sir here is the man you asked for," a soldier says coming up the stairs. More soldiers come escorting Iceberg's dock boss.

"Ah, yes. I'd like to thank you for your cooperation in this matter."

"What did you do!" Iceberg shouts.

"You promised…" Josephine starts to cry.

His boss looks away, "In exchange for our lives we have turned over everyone named Jacob working for us in the city."

"And a fine work you did," the Senator says, "I wasn't expecting so many at the execution."

"Execution!" shouts the deck boss.

"Yes, did you honestly think I would allow public trials to reveal my daughter's loss virginity to a pirate! The ink was already dried on their death sentences when you turned them over."

The deck boss hits his knees in grief, "My brother…" he moans.

"Well for most of them at least, needed to write up a few more when so many came. Never new Jacob was such a popular name in the underclass."

Now Iceberg hangs his head and starts to cry along with Josephine, "No… Altana… all those innocent people."

Cedric looks back and forth between Josephine and Blue Iceberg. He turns green around the gills.

Suddenly there is a commotion down below. Everyone looks over the banister and sees a sickly looking Galka being dragged without struggling across the way. He is pulled up the steps and thrown at the Wallaces' feet. At closer inspection it is clear that he is extremely old, his strength long since left his now thin and frail frame.

"Elder!" Iceberg struggles to stand but is quickly put down.

"Sir!" salutes a soldier, "We found this Galka trying to leave the area with a suspicious bag." He hands over to the Senator an old but well preserved white leather bag, elaborately engraved and colorfully beaded. "In spite its initial expensive appearance it contained nothing but children's clothes and a few stone knick-knacks." He hands Chief Cedric a small statue of the Goddess. It glows softly.

"What type of stone is this?" he thinks out loud.

"Get your filthy hands off of those! They're sacred!" Iceberg shouts still struggling.

"Calm yourself boy," the old Galka whispers.

Iceberg obeys.

"Sacred you say?" the Senator takes the statue from his son's hands, looks at it for a few seconds and chucks it over the side railing callously. It shatters on the ground below.

"You're on your way to find a quiet place to die like a good soulless beast?" he asks patronizingly.

"Yes…yes my Lord…" the old Galka stutters prostrating himself in total submission, "May I… beg your pardon… your Excellency… I have lingered too long as it is…I humbly ask your leave…"

In spite his spindly frame his voice still has a strength he tries to hide, one emanating from an unending pit.

This does not go unnoticed.

"Show me your face mine-mule," orders Senator Wallace.

"My…Lord… I no worthy of gazing upon your face." In spite his best efforts his articulation gives him away again.

"Soldier raise him!" he orders.

One grabs him by the hair and pulls him up to his knees.

His face is ghastly thin with pronounced cheekbones and hollowed eye sockets making his eyes literally emerge from darken caves instead of the illusion of his youth. Maimed like an old boxer, there is a prominent gash across his left eye resembling a cat's favorite scratching corner. The culmination of many thousands upon thousands of razor cuts to bleed out swollen black eyes over a long life.

"Drogo the Wise Tongue…" Chief Cedric says in total shock.

Elder Drogo turns and smiles, "Good to see you to young Cedric. It's been many years."

He only stares at the unrecognizable specter before him.

"Death steals the strength and too often the wisdom of us all. Remember this meeting well young Hume."

The Senator enraged balls is fist and strikes Elder Drogo with the back of his right hand. His ghastly frame falls over like a blade a grass in the wind.

"Elder!" Iceberg shouts again.

Everyone watches what happens next.

As if remembering their former prowess, his muscles bulge with a forgotten strength. Elder Drogo lifts himself off the floor and kneels again respectfully in front of the Senator, but not in submission. His back is straight, shoulders back and square. Full of grace and dignity he turns his face to the left, "If it so pleases your Excellency, strike at me again."

"Father…"

"There's no need young Chief, your father Corley and myself have much to catch up on these last twenty years."

"Now that's the rat I remember," begins the Senator, "The rat that cost my father the Presidency."

"Your father lost it himself. And besides, isn't his wife your father's cousin? Doesn't seem to me your family as lost any public standing at all."

"If you hadn't used your serpent's tongue on the legislature and changed the voting laws then my family would be ruling Bastok like the kings of San d'Oria."

"Even Kings are not above the people, the many civil wars ripping that country apart are more than enough proof of this. Giving voice to the people gives this country the peace that has been denied so long to the other nations. Democracy may indeed be a constant war, but a war of words not weapons."

"Yes I remember… You're Weaponless War. Even your acts of submission only mock Hume superiority. Tempting us to corrupt the sacred palms of our right hands, the very symbol of freedom and equality, with the rotting flesh of the lowly and the beasts."

"Before I mentioned it most Humes did not even know the origins of shaking hands."

"Don't lecture me rat! Even so most of us knew you were trying to make a dropped stone fly up when we saw it."

Senator Wallace pulls out his sword. He holds it up for all to see, "This blade has been in my family for generations, even before one of my ancestors was murdered by one of you rats." He lowers his sword and begins to walk over.

"No!" Blue Iceberg shouts as he struggles.

He breaks free only briefly. It takes time for the ensuing smoke to clear revealing Blue Iceberg laying face down in a growing pool of blood.

Josephine tries to scream something but Cedric puts his hands over her mouth, "No sister. I won't give Father the excuse he needs," he whispers as he pinches her on the neck knocking her cold.

"Child!" Elder Drogo shouts as the soldiers behind him reload their guns.

"Don't worry so much about him, when there is so much to come."

The elderly Galka looks up at the Senator.

He places the blade against his cheek. He laughs maniacally, "You honestly think you've improved the lives of you race? The right to vote is one thing," he raises his fist in the air, "the _will_ to vote is another." He lowers his hand and moves the tip of the sword under his chin. "And the will can be so easily crushed now can it?"

Elder Drogo's eyes turn to fear, but not for himself.

"Good, I see you understand your error in judgment. To bad, even if I wasn't about to kill you, you wouldn't live to see all the misery you are about to cause your kind. Your servitude has only just begun Galka, now die by the blade of our martyred President!"

Blue Iceberg, still conscious, witnesses the sword plunge deep into Elder Drogo.

Senator Wallace kicks Elder Drogo's dying frame off the sword instead of pulling it out.

"Oh sweet mercy!" gasps Major Viki putting her hands over her mouth. She starts to cry and runs over. She reaches for the dying Galkas but her hands only pass straight through the mirage.

"Major Viki?" Zelig asks.

She begins to frantically feel around like a frightened blind person. She feels something tangible and lunges towards it. Instead of feeling a leg or torso she encounters a face. The skin is oily and dirty to the touch. She puts her second hand on this trembling person's head. Her fingers go through holes in a cloth bonnet encountering stiff greasy hair.

Major Viki drags little Drogo close, "Oh baby! Oh baby!" She kisses him then buried her head in his young broad shoulders. She glances up and watches the Senator and the soldiers leave laughing and gloating. Only Chief Cedric Wallace glances back carrying the unconscious Josephine. The Tenshodo that are present solemnly step over the dying bodies and disappear into the miasma.

Unexpectedly, Blue Iceberg begins to move. Holding his stomach tight he inches painfully forward. Major Viki watches him crawl through her and Drogo and turns around to see him finally reach his Elder.

He takes his earring off and puts it on Elder Drogo's ear. He opens his eyes and begins to cough violently. He moans and looks around completely disoriented.

"I wouldn't move too much yet," Blue Iceberg says meekly with all his strength, "A simple reraise earring can only do so much."

Elder Drogo rolls over to see a pale young Galka struggling to stay conscious. He reaches for his ear.

"Don't bother… that… that was the last charge."

"You stupid boy," says the Elder, "I was already on my way to my death."

"…Then… I saved the life of a child yet to be born…" Blue Iceberg struggles to breath.

Elder Drogo reaches over and unbuttons his shirt. He sees an iron vest over his vital organs but his abdomen is not so lucky. He places his arm overtop Blue Iceberg's and holds his bloody hand clinging to his stomach.

They both know he's bleeding to death from the inside.

He takes his other hand and stokes the young man's hair, "Now don't you be joining the undead now. You've done nothing in this life to deserve such a curse. Please just let the fear and anger go."

"Yes I have," Blue Iceberg whispers.

Elder Drogo shakes his head, "No. No. The will of Altana is the will of Love herself. I've known for years about you two kids. The burden of sin belongs to others, not you two."

"Where is she?" he coughs and begins to wheeze.

Then nothing.

The miasma fades to black then evaporates from around Major Viki's eyes, bloodshot and red. Her checks are soaked. "I have seen so many deaths…" she mutters, "…but none so horrid." She punches the ground, "You people… and this city…"

Suddenly Gumbah grabs his arm grimacing and hits his knees. He starts to cough then passes out. When he opens his eyes, he sees Major Viki over his hands on his chest murmuring a curing spell.

"Where…where am I?" He looks around.

"You're in a back alleyway in Mines. We were investigating a report of a Fomor when you lost consciousness," Volker says.

Gumbah tries to sit up.

"You shouldn't be moving yet," Major Viki says trying to push him down.

He waves her off and shuffles to lean against the wall. He looks at everyone's concerned faces, the Galkas there are distressed. Zeid simply looks away. Werei is on the brink of tears.

Gumbah smiles up at his old friend, "Look, I know what you're thinking. Under the circumstances I don't blame you, but I'm fine, really. I just haven't had a chance to eat yet, that's all."

Everyone believes him and calms down but Werei knows better. Gumbah had been so hungry he had given him part of his own lunch.

"Everyone please go on ahead," Gumbah asks, "Once I get my feet back under me I'll catch up."

"Very well then," Captain Klara says, "We'll proceed and give our report."

Volker nods, "And I'll personally track down some rations for you Elder Gumbah, even if it's my own."

"Thank you Volker," Werei says, "I'll stay here with him and will make are way to the Metalworks as soon as he is able."

"I'll stay here as well," Major Viki says.

"Me too," adds Zelig.

"Oh oh! Me three! Me three!" jumps Star.

Drogo simply nods.

Captain Klara turns and walks away, "Alright everyone, let's go."

Everyone walks off but Zeid lingers looking at Gumbah on the ground. Then he finally turns and walks away.

Werei watches him leave, then when they are alone he turns and looks down at his friend, "You may be able to fool the others but Zeid is a smart man, we both know the time for your Journey is near."

Star turns to Gumbah, "Are you going somewhere Mr. Gumbah?"

Drogo panics, "No! No! You can't leave us! We need you!"

Gumbah reaches over and puts his hand on the young boy's shoulder, "Don't worry child, Altana isn't going to take me yet. Not until peace comes to Bastok."

Star looks down at her feet, realizing what "Altana isn't going to take me yet" means. Then she looks up smiling and looks Gumbah straight in the eyes, "Altana is gonna take me too soon, what games do you like so we can play together?" she asks excitedly.

Gumbah and Werei both turn to Major Viki shocked looking for an explanation.

Major Viki looks at the ground, her face says everything.

Star starts hopping up and down excitedly, "Oh oh! Do you like hopscotch, and double Dutch, and and and tag, and and hide and go seek, and…"

As Star keeps rattling off any game she can think of, Drogo sulks over and hugs Zelig's legs sniffling. Werei kneels down and gently rubs his back.

"Elder Gumbah can't die," the boy mumbles, "He's everything Altana stands for. She can't take him away."

"Death comes to all of us, little one. Both Good and Bad, both Enlightened and Beastmen alike. It's one of the only thinks that binds all of us together. But just think, soon you'll have a new play mate…"

As Werei tries to comfort Drogo, a memory from many months ago flashes through Zelig's mind. He looks at Gumbah sitting on the ground smiling at the now uncontrollably hyper Star with Major Viki next to him. Drogo feels Zelig's legs buckle and lets go looking up at his face.

The birds throughout Mines suddenly flutter into the sky as Zelig's laugh echoes through the deserted streets.

With Gumbah now able to stand, everyone begins to walk towards Markets. Star skips happily next to her mother thoroughly satisfied in finding a new playmate for the afterlife. Drogo waddles solemnly next to Werei, and Zelig walks next to Gumbah.

"Is the babe truly that funny or is it my coming death what amuses you so?" he asks him.

Zelig looks at him shocked at first, "What? …Oh the laughing."

Zelig looks at the ground, he thinks for a long time trying to find the right words.

As they come to the Archway at the edge of the bridge to Markets he finds them. "No I was just thinking about something a good friend once told me." He puts his hand on Gumbah's shoulder and they stop walking for a moment.

Gumbah searches his long time friend's face trying to find what joy could possibly over power his grief.

"You will live to see peace Gumbah. I know you will." Zelig takes his hand off Gumbah and begins to walk forward and disappears into the shadow of the arch.

Gumbah only looks up at the sun. After seeing some birds fly across it in silhouette he closes his eyes, "Altana…" he prays in his head, "Please delay my Journey until my work is done. Please help me bring true peace to your children."

An unexpected tug on his arm snaps him from his thoughts and Gumbah looks down to see Star holding his hand. When he didn't cross the bridge with them she ran back for him.

"Come on Mr. Gumbah, let's go!" she says giggling.

Gumbah can't help but smile back and holding hands, they walk into the shadow of the archway out of sight.


	9. Chapter 8: Heirs to a Mother's Love

**Chapter 8: Heirs to a Mother's Love**

"Here's the latest report you requested about the mysterious Beastmen corpses being found at the North Gustaberg ramp," an aide says placing a folder on his desk. President Prien acknowledges and waves him from the room. He is engulfed in an old file, flipping through the pages again and again, having Captain Klara, Volker, Zeid, and the others go over second by second, word for word, what transpired at the slums. Chief Adelheid Sturm is also in the room.

"Your report on what the Mithran psychics said transpired doesn't match the official records," President Prien says. "I trust the Mithras over the documents," Zeid says, "We have always been secretive about our rebirthing rituals. For them to know such detail by any other means would be impossible."

"Many times documents like these reflect more of the motives of the police than what actually transpired," Adelheid says. President Prien drops the parchment he is reading as both his arms hit the desk with a mild but non-aggressive thud. "What do you mean by that?" he asks shocked.

"Even under the most sincere conditions, events can be skewed in a person's mind based on an individual's personal preferences. It's a part of how the brain works. But even today with the somewhat improved racial tensions, if word got out of a relationship of such a nature, the scandal would be impossible to gauge. Back then, I would hate to imagine the unpleasantries. And with I suspect the identities involved, a cover-up would be even more critical."

"What do you mean by that?" Captain Klara asks. "I'm not for certain, but the name of the woman and her family relations jogs something in the back of my mind. I'd have to look into it." "Then do it then," the President says, "The sooner we understand what is happening the better." "I will proceed immediately then." Adelheid leaves the room.

As she leaves for the Library, she sees a familiar face. "Professor Schultz!" "Ah how are you my fine Adelheid?" "On my way to the library, but I don't think the President would be appreciative if I spoke of the reasons why." "I am sure there are many other things to talk about other than this matter. May I walk with you at least to the Library steps?" "Of course Professor!"

As they walk out of the Metalworks, they begin to pass the beginning of the group coming in. Major Viki and Zelig are together in the front with Werei, still trying to calm Drogo, not far behind. Gumbah's slow walking has put him and Star in the distant rear, not even in eye shot with the others. She is still as hyper as ever, only pronouncing every few syllables of every third word at most. Gumbah only nods and smiles. "At least I'll have young Drogo to keep me sane when my time finally comes," he thinks.

"I like your tummy," she says. "Excuse me?" Gumbah asks looking down at the little Mithra, "Did you just say you like my tummy?" "Yep yep," Star says smiling. "Why do you like my tummy?" he asks surprised and confused. "Your tummy sounds like Drogo's tummy." Gumbah raises his eyebrows, "My tummy sounds like Drogo's tummy?" "Yep yep!"

Gumbah pinches the bridge of his nose, "Thank Goddess I'll have Drogo to play with." "Oh you wanna play with Drogo?" Gumbah jumps back surprised. "Let's just catch up with the others," he says turning forward.

Suddenly he feels Star's hand pull away from his. Shocked from his thoughts, he turns and sees her frozen, watching the two Scholars walk away. "What is it child?" Gumbah asks. "That man… he feels… cold…" she answers confused by what she senses. "Come on sweetie. We need to hurry now," Major Viki comes running up, picks up her daughter and together the three enter the Metalworks.

President Prien is surprised to see two familiar faces in his office. "Major Viki? Private Zelig?" "Greetings your Excellency," Major Viki bows. Star drops down runs over and puts her arm out like her mother did before, "Hi! I'm Star," she says smiling.

President Prien kneels down and shakes the little girl's hand, "Hello little girl, my name is President Prien." "Oh you're the person I'm supposed to talk about the ghost I saw." President Prien looks up at Major Viki, "Am I correct in assuming that you are the one who can communicate with spirits?" Major Viki nods, "Yes sir." "And Private Zelig what is your connection with this?" "The Galka child who sleeps in the haunted room is my ward." "I see," he says standing up. "And I also see you did not take my advice."

Gumbah and Werei walk into the room. "Ah, Elder Gumbah and Elder Werei. Welcome," President Prien says, "Elder Gumbah are you feeling well? I heard a report that you fainted." Zeid looks away. "Yes, I'm sorry for giving everyone such a scare. But I'm fine now." "Glad to here it," he turns to Volker, "Volker please escort Elder Gumbah and find him a meal." "Yes, sir!" Volker salutes and turns to Gumbah, "Please this way Elder." "I'm I needed as well?" Werei asks. "Not at the moment. You may accompany Elder Gumbah if that is your wish."

Suddenly, two very loud growling stomachs fill the room. Drogo looks at the ground, "Sorry." "Mommy I'm hungry too," Star says yanking on her mother's arm. "Volker, take these children with you and feed them as well," orders President Prien. "Yippee!" Star shouts and she runs over and hugs Gumbah's leg. "Hi" she says giggling. Gumbah pinches the bridge of his nose.

President Prien smiles at the children as they leave the room. "You have a very adorable daughter Major," he says sitting down at his desk. "Why does she accompany you into a war zone?" "She doesn't look it at first glance, but she is very ill. I couldn't leave her to die alone. I'm all she has." "I am sorry to here of this and you have my sympathies." He motions for them to take a seat and he goes over the details of the report he was given.

In the Mess Hall, the only thing drawing more attention than the sight of the Galkan Elders is the children, especially Star. Drogo just sits quietly eating while Star is being the center of attention. After a hard day of battles, the soldiers enjoy the silly little girl in their midst. Her energy and laughter is contagious and even the most exhausted and down trodden crack a smile. Many join with her as she stands up on a table and starts to sing and a small choir is formed as both Humes and Galkas inadvertently exchange songs with each other as they teach her new rhymes and she teaches them Mithran songs she knows.

Gumbah and Werei smile in surprise hearing Humes sing Galkan songs without hesitation and vice versa. "She is a very special girl," Werei says, "I hope she lives." "Do you know what she has Drogo? There must be something we can do." "She has the Falling Sickness sir, the medical books in the Library call it Epilepsy." Gumbah and Werei look at their plates. "Diseases of the brain are so unpredictable, she could die at any time but she could also see old age," Werei says smiling at Drogo. "Even if she does become an old lady a major seizure could cripple her or make her fall asleep and not wake up," Drogo says picking at the leftovers on his plate with his fork. Gumbah and Werei stare at each other, then look at Drogo. He's slumped in his chair and is poking a carrot with his fork.

"I see you know more about this than I thought," Gumbah says. "I read a book on it in the library," he says depressed. "You like her don't you?" Werei asks rubbing his back. Drogo nods. Drogo looks up at his Elders, "Is my playing with foreign kids causing trouble?" They glance at each other again, "You're a very thoughtful young man, but don't think that you need to grow up any faster than your body grows tall. Play with whoever your heart desires and let us worry about the war." Drogo nods solemnly.

In the background, the choir continues seeming oblivious that one voice has gone missing. Gumbah looks behind him startled by a pull on his elbow. Star is yanking on his arm. "Come sing with us Mr. Gumbah!" Star asks somewhat out a breath. He chuckles, "No I'm sorry little one but I don't have the voice for it." "The other people singing don't care. They're worse than me. Can't you hear them?" As if on cue, some poor Hume makes the point very clearly… and very loudly. Unaware of the initiation for the unusual festivities, many newcomers to the Mess Hall stare in disbelief, others laugh hysterically.

Gumbah shakes his head chuckling, "I'm sorry I'm not singing." She crawls up on top the table leaning over his plate and puts her face in Drogo's, "You wanna come sing with us Drogo? You have a good voice!" Drogo panics in embarrassment and blushes. Werei grins, "Drogo? Are you becoming a budding bard?" he asks jokingly. Drogo glares with is demonic eyes, then storms off out of the Mess Hall. "Drogo! Drogo come back!" she hops off the table and runs after him.

Gumbah and Werei quickly get up and go after them leaving the joyous ruckus in the Mess Hall. They find them in a quiet corner squabbling. Werei shakes his head and sighs. Even though they are still some distance away, Star stops mid-sentence/funny face with a shock look on her face to what to Drogo seems no reason.

"Are you ok?" Drogo asks scared. As they walk up Drogo spots them, "Oh… Hi Elders," Drogo says grudgingly, looking away perturbed. "Why you imagining Drogo as a grown-up singing drunk?" Star asks completely out of left field turning around to face them. She stares at Werei and pokes his leg when he doesn't answer, "Well?"

"Why you acting weird again?" Drogo whines. "I'm not being weird!" she says spinning around. She sticks out her tongue. "Why do you think Werei was thinking about that?" Gumbah asks. "Mommy said I have another set of invisible ears that let me hear things that people don't say out loud and understand things others say that others can't." "What do you mean by that?" Werei asks.

"Well… can you keep a secret? Mommy said not to tell… But Drogo loves you so it might be ok…" Gumbah kneels down, "Of course child." Star breaks her promise to her mommy and whispers in his ear. Gumbah's face goes bug-eyed and slightly pale. "What happened to your friend?" Gumbah looks at her scared. She closes her eyes before she sees his expression. "I feel something… very cold…"

Suddenly Star struggling against the air ripping at her throat like she is being choked. She gasps and strains to breath. Gumbah and Werei struggle to try to help and Drogo runs screaming for Major Viki and Zelig. As Star fights for her life, the Elders notice the bruise marks from fingers forming on her neck and the flesh of her arms physically moves as if there is a solid object she's clawing and beating at like an invisible arm of some kind. Then for no apparent reason she collapses into Werei's arms coughing. She can breathe again. Werei and Gumbah run towards the President's office.

…Somewhere deep within Castle Zvahl, a demon enters the Shadow Lord's chambers. He sees the Shadow Lord alone, pulling his arm back to him from being outstretched. He can't make out what he mutters under his breath but he thinks it begins with a "Co" sound. He kneels, "My Lord, forgive the intrusion but we have fresh word of the siege." The Shadow Lord folds his arms and stares at the demon. "Proceed" the newly crowned "Demon King" commands in his unmistakable deep voice, like an unending abyss…

"The woman I saw was in her late teens maybe even early twenties, and very well dressed with gold jewelry and many gemstones," Major Viki says. "If the young woman was of wealthy birth that would explain the cover-up," Captain Klara says. "That matches what I've discovered." "Chief Sturm," President Prien says, "You're back. Please tell us what you've found."

"The names young Star gave match perfectly with one of Bastok's ruling families at the time," she says walking up. "Her descriptions also match with the hand full of images I have found. They had relatives in the Senate and many in the ministries, and even were related to the President at the time by marriage." President Prien looks down at the file of the "botched arrest". He looks green around the gills.

"I've also discovered that both young Josephine and her future daughter, Azurella, died under what I think are mysterious circumstances forty-odd years later." President Prien looks up at her. "The man her daughter was married to was fined on multiple occasions for beating servants, and rather viciously in one incident. Josephine was long widowed and living with them at the time. The official story is that Azurella tripped on a children's toy and tumbled down the banister and Josephine was so stricken with grief she died that night as well." "And you doubt this because?" asks President Prien.

"Both of their caskets were closed at the funeral. That goes against custom here, unless the body is disfigured in some fashion. Even if you allow that Azurella may have broken her facial bones in the fall, which makeup could surely hide, why would Josephine's be closed?"

"I can sense that you have more to tell us about your reasonings," Major Viki says leaning forward in her chair. "Yes, I have found a possible motive as well." "Then continue," orders the President. "There is also record of a daughter born to this marriage, but there is no record of her after her mother's death, as if she just vanished into thin air. Now her name was Blueice…" Zelig twitches uncomfortably in his plush chair when he hears the name. "… Now I doubt Josephine would have been able to talk her daughter into such an unusual name without revealing its origins. And the name Azurella itself has its roots in the color blue as well."

"An honor killing then," says Zeid. "Exactly," Adelheid says. "But how would he had uncovered the story if her relatives had gone to such lengths to cover it up decades before?" Prien asks. "Blue Iceberg used his Tenshodo connections to give Josephine many elaborate gifts. A grieving woman would be very careful to preserve any one of these. He himself or a servant could have overheard an origins story being told to a small girl. Or maybe she herself told her father being too young to know not to. We'll probably never know. Then of course there his own murder soon afterwards to consider. I brought the file."

Adelheid hands it to President Prien who opens it and begins to read. Adelheid continues, "He was killed in his bedroom in the middle of the night with no sign of forced entry. Night Watchmen on patrol saw the blood soaked assailant with the murder weapon coming from the residence and gave chase but they lost him at sun up and I quote: 'It was as if he evaporated into thin air without a trace." Several officers state in the report that from the size of the man he felt he was definitely a Galka." "You think the Fomor took vengeance?" Volker asks. "There's no doubt in my mind," she answers turning to him.

Suddenly they hear screaming in the hallway. "That sounds like Drogo," Zelig says. Major Viki knocks her chair over running out of the office screaming "Star!" Zelig does the same. Everyone runs out the door and can here Drogo screaming "Major! Zbigniew!" clearly now. He rounds the corner and runs into Major Viki. His face is wet. "Where's my baby!" Drogo out of breath only points at the elevator. When they reach it Gumbah and Werei carrying Star exit the lift.

Back at the Office, Zeid examines the marks on her neck. They are an almost perfect match for his large hand. "The pretty lady ghost who saved me from the dark man told me not to tell," Star says stubbornly refusing to cooperate. Gumbah's story is consistent but he is leaving out the telepathy part for some reason. Werei follows Gumbah's lead and Drogo sensing something wrong does as well. "Well this is taking us no where," President Prien says frustrated.

"I don't see the problem here," Major Viki says. Everyone stares at her. "My daughter was attacked by a malevolent spirit and was saved by a benevolent one." "Then why isn't your daughter cooperating?" Zeid asks standing up. "We Mithras appease the spirits of the departed. If the ghost of the woman wishes my daughter not to speak then she should not speak and I would reprimand her if she did." She turns to the President, "My daughter is well, let's continue with the matters at hand."

"Though this matter still concerns me, I see no choice other than to return to the Fomor." He clears his throat, "Even if the Fomor wasn't suspect, with the dead now rising against us, we can't leave it alone as we have been doing these past centuries. We need to exorcise this undead and send it to the void. We need to locate a skilled exorcist."

"What about me?" Major Viki asks offended. "I mean no slight Major. But this murder is over a hundred and fifty years old. If the Fomor found no peace in his vengeance, I don't see any way of appeasing it." "Your Excellency," starts an aide, "If our clergy were skilled in dealing with the undead then Bastok would not have needed San d'Oria to create the Great Seal of Gusgen Mines." He turns to the aide, "Then send word to the San d'Orian Temple for aid."

"There is no need for that," Major Viki says. "What do you mean?" President Prien asks. "Last Lightsday I became an acquaintance of a Temple priest named Father Ermenegilde here in Bastok. Summon him and ask if he is skilled enough to perform this. If he is and agrees, it will save time and effort." He turns back to the aide, "Change of orders, find this priest and bring him to me." "Yes sir!" he salutes and runs off. "And the rest of you are dismissed," he waves them out of the room.

Zelig, Drogo, Major Viki carrying Star, along with Gumbah and Werei, leave the Metalworks and see by the sun it is late afternoon but still a few hours to sunset. Major Viki heals the bruises on her daughter's neck and arms. "Now sweetie I want you to obey the spirit who saved you and never tell anyone what you saw alright?" "Yes Mommy." She puts her down. "Hey Drogo! Let's find the others and see if we can't find some play time before the sun sets," Star says. Drogo shakes his head. "Nah, maybe a little later I'll come find you guys but I need to do something first." "Ok then." She runs off.

"Be careful!" her mother shouts after her. Drogo looks around and sees that the four of them are alone. "Elders why did you lie to the president?" Gumbah, Werei, and Zelig all jump back shocked. The Elders look around nervously while Zelig stares at them. "Good… no one heard that…" Gumbah sighs with is hand on his heart. "Yes I felt something wrong while you where speaking," Major Viki says looking at Gumbah.

"Your daughter displayed a power she called 'Double Ears' after we left the Mess Hall…" Major Viki is startled by the news. "…And when she whispered what it was in my ear my thoughts turned to an old friend with the same ability who we lost in the Northlands. I didn't mean to put Star in any danger. I'm deepest apologies."

"The Northlands… You mean your missing Tales Keeper, Raogrimm?" asks Major Viki looking at her feet. "You know of Raogrimm?" Werei asks surprised. "Yes," interjects Zelig, "I have told Major Viki many things." "I see," Werei looks at him curiously. "Your Tales Keeper had the Double Ears as well?" Major Viki asks Gumbah. "He had an ability matching what she described you telling her after an ambush when she saw Beastmen for the first time."

Major Viki collapses crying. Zelig grabs her before her knees hit the cobblestones. She hugs him, "I can hear them… I can hear everything…" she moans. Gumbah and Werei kneel down and try to comfort her. "I can hear them… their gods… their wives… their children… I can hear them scream… everything… when they die…"

Zelig looks frantically to the Elders for an explanation. "She can understand the words of the Beastmen," Gumbah says flatly. Zelig turns to his crying friend and hugs her tighter. "This war is wrong… everything… everything is wrong…" she mumbles.

"Father Ermenegilde has been located. He is waiting outside," an aide says. "That was fast," the President says looking up from his papers surprised. "He was in the Chapel." "I see, bring him in."

Father Ermenegilde walks in piously, head covered, arms folded in his sleeves. "Please sit down Father," President Prien motions for him to sit in one of the chairs in front of him. He is visible nervous as he fumbles with the chair, "You summoned me your Excellency?" "Yes, have you been informed of the purpose?" "No your Grace." "We are in need of an exorcist to banish a Fomor in Mines. It has attacked troops and is suspected of a murder."

Father Ermenegilde has a surprised look on his face, "Who informed you that I was an exorcist as a younger man?" "I'm glad to here that you have experience, but we were unaware of any specifics. I only knew that there was a Temple priest in the city. We were hoping that you had some training to save the time needed to contact the Temple and request aid." "It would be my honor to help. But please, I will need some time to prepare properly." "How long do you need?" "A few days at most. Depending on the availability of supplies." "Done, anything you need will be provided for you to the best of our ability." "Thank you your Excellency, may I be excused to prepare?" "Yes you may leave."

As Father Ermenegilde begins to leave, "Oh Father?" says President Prien standing up. He turns around to see him walking up. President Prien hands him a thick file, "I almost forgot to give this to you…" Father Ermenegilde takes the folder. "… This is the case folder. Everything we know about this Fomor is here. I hope it will come of use." He bows, "Thank you your Excellency, I will read this at once."

President Prien nods and walks back to his desk. Looking up from adjusting his chair he notices a neglected folder. He begins to read it and remembers being given a report about some dead Quadav found at the ramp. He puts his hand over is mouth in disbelief, "An entire squadron… a sword ripping through bulletproof armor like paper…"

Exiting the Metalworks, Father Ermenegilde spots and old but familiar face. "Zelig is that you?" Zelig turns around surprised by an old voice, "Friar Ermie!" "It's been nearly twenty-eight years now and I see you haven't aged a day," he walks up to Zelig, "And it is Father Ermenegilde please. I'd hate to think what would happen if someone were to hear…" as he passes the corner he spots from the corner of his eye two Galkas leaning down. Turning his head to look, he sees another familiar face leaning against the wall face soaked in tears, "Major Viki? Are you ill?" She looks up, "I see that they found you then. Have you spoken with the President yet?" "You know of this matter?" "Yes, I have a daughter. She and myself have the power to talk with spirits." She points at Drogo, "She discovered it while playing with Drogo here near his home."

Father Ermenegilde turns and looks at the boy. Drogo bows formally, "Nice to meet you Father." He bows in return, "The pleasure is mine child." Drogo look at Major Viki, "Are you gonna be alright now?" She smiles, "Yes I'm sorry if I scared you. Some times grownups need a good cry just like children." She tries to stand but she is wobbly. Gumbah and Werei help her up. "Thank you," she says embarrassed. "I'm gonna go look for Star then." Drogo runs off after her.

Major Viki is now standing, but leaning against the wall. "Father where are you headed at the moment?" "On my way to the Library. The President gave me this to read. And I confess also I am in need of a refresher on any exorcism materials there." "What do you mean? Your one of the most skilled exorcists in the Temple," Zelig says. "That was true forty years ago, but the Temple leaves the grudge work to the young and lowly members. Since my promotions I haven't been in the field in decades… I know it will come back to me though. I just want to be extra cautious with the recent turn in the war."

"Would you like my assistance with the exorcism? I am also trained, in the Mithran fashion." "Bless you heart child. Bless your heart. It would be appreciated." "Elders may I ask that you help Major Viki? I was planning to assist Friar…I mean Father Ermenegilde." "I'd be glad to help if the Major wishes it?" Werei says. Gumbah nods. "I am most thankful. I wouldn't even know how to begin in this foreign land." Gumbah extends his hand and he and Werei help the still wobbly Major. After they walk away, Zelig turns to the elderly priest, "Father, I've kept a few secrets from the others concerning this. You should know more about this incident than what is in the file." Father Ermenegilde nods, "Of course."

After they walk off towards the library, Adelheid comes out from her hiding spot. "A few secrets hmm? I think checking out a few books is in order." She follows them.

Back in the Mess Hall, the absence of the children and the Elders has been long since noted, but the festivities continue. Zazarg has taken center stage with his boisterous stories. In the middle of his bragging, a Hume soldier taps him on the shoulder. He turns around, "Yes?" "Praefectus you wanted to be informed when that one Galka had been located?" "You found him finally?" "Yes he was just seen with Lilisette of Troupe Mayakov. They where on their way towards the President's office." Zazarg stands up quickly and hurriedly makes his way to the lift.

In the Library, Adelheid is hiding behind the bookshelves listening to Zelig and Father Ermenegilde talk over the file. "Are these names who I think they are?" asks Father Ermenegilde looking up from the papers. Zelig nods. "I knew part of the story, but I had no idea they are the descendants of…" Zelig shushes him, "Not so loud Father please. They don't want anyone to know."

Adelheid smiles. "So the child survived then," she thinks. She sneaks off.


	10. Chapter 9: Diamonds and Dahlias

**Chapter 9: Diamonds and Dahlias **

Star finds the other children playing near the music shop. Icie and Ceddie are arguing with them. "Yes too!" Icie shouts pointing at her accusers. "She's right! Our aunt does too have talking jewelry. You can hear it when you put the earrings on." "Earrings don't talk! Stop making up stories," an older girl says.

"You said you have talking stuff?" Star asks. "Don't tell me you believe them?" a boy says, "I thought you were smarter than that." Star ignores the heckling and stands in front of Icie and Ceddie, "Tell me about the talking stuff you have?"

"Well…" starts Ceddie, "There's a pretty necklace and earrings set in our family that goes from mother to daughter. You can only hear it when your wear them. And if you look in a mirror while wearing them you can see a woman standing behind you but when you turn around she's gone." "You have a spirited item. A soul left a longing printed on it." "A soul?" asks the girl, "Wait as in a ghost!" She looks at Icie and Ceddie, "You guys have a ghost too!"

"It's not a ghost," Icie says angrily, "She's Gran-Gran's Granny! She's just invisible. Aunt Josey told me so!" She sticks out her tongue. "She's right. Ghosts are the souls themselves, a spirited item has a will to act on its own but its desires are shaped by the person who gave it power." "How do you know all this?" asks another older boy.

Star turns to him, "My Granny Mizar and my mommy talk to spirits and ghosts and helps them rest." She turns back to them, "Can I see the jewelry? My Granny Mizar's been teaching me, maybe I can understand what she wants that's been making her linger." Ceddie shakes his head, "Aunt Josey wouldn't let us play with it. It's hidden somewhere in her home."

"Doggie!" Icie runs up and hugs Drogo. "Hey Gamesage!" He looks at the squares on the ground, "What are you guys playing?" "Hopscotch," a young girl says. Drogo leans down and feels the lines. A powder sticks to his fingers. "What did you use to draw it with?" "My chalk," one of the older boys says proudly.

"What's chalk?" asks Star. "You're kidding me?" he says. Star shakes her head with an overly honest face. "Over here!" a girl grabs Stars arm and takes her towards the sea wall. There are several pieces on the ground. Star leans down and fluffs her skirt out over the ground. "This is chalk," the boy says holding a piece. "Ooh!" she examines the piece carefully then hands it back. She stands up and instead of jumping into the game she finds a place to sit and watch to everyone's surprise and worry. "Are you still not feeling well?" Drogo asks. She wobbles her hand, "Little."

"There you two are!" A man in his early thirties with blond hair in a Fisherman's smock and waders runs up "Daddy?" says Ceddie. "We have a family dinner tonight. Did you forget it's Iceday?" "Oops! Sorry Daddy." Ceddie runs off towards Port. "Come on baby let's go see Auntie Josey," he says kneeling down holding his arms out. "Auntie Josey!" she squeals and jumps into his arms. "Goodbye kids!" "Goodbye Mr. Jason!" shout several of the kids waving goodbye.

After they walk off a ways, Star stands up carefully. "I think I'm actually gonna go too." "Do you need me to walk you home Star?" asks Drogo. "No I'm ok. I'm just tired." Drogo nods and watches her leave. Star walks off carefully until she mostly hidden behind the stone side rails. He sees her stop briefly, then runs off towards the barracks.

As the sun gets low, the kids begin to clean up and go home. The boy who owns the chalk is standing over the pieces confused. "What is it?" asks Drogo. "I thought I brought more pieces than this. I don't think we used two whole chunks playing today, do you?" "I don't know. I got here late remember." The boy shrugs his shoulders and puts the remaining pieces in his bag and leaves.

Drogo leaves back to the slums, but finds his street cordoned off. Drogo takes another street, jumps roofs and drops down next to his door. The Fomor is waiting for him holding a book.

"Sorry I'm late." Drogo puts a piece of wood next to his lamp then lights it, creating a shadow to protect the Fomor from the light. It sits almost eagerly in the corner as Drogo sits in his pile of straw and begins to read out loud.

The lamp flame flickers casting dancing shadows through the tiny room. Drogo has long since fallen asleep sitting up against the wall, open book in his lap. As the Fomor leaves its shadow, it winces in pain from the dim light. It carefully takes the book, marks the page, and puts it aside. It then tucks Drogo into bed. After pulling his shredded blanket over his shoulders, it puts its hand on Drogo head. He winces and moans in his sleep then rolls over the other way. Then it leaves the room to commence its night wanderings.

Drogo falls into a reoccurring dream, not a nightmare like when he first began sleeping in the room, but a more pleasant one though terribly lonely courtesy of the Fomor. It's of a beautiful woman with raven locks and hypnotic brown eyes. She is dressed in expensive clothing and covered in diamonds. She is giggling, waving and throwing kisses, taunting someone to chase after her. "Where are you?! Where are you?!" screams a deep Galkan voice over the woman's laughter.

In the darkness of Port, the lamps are lit as the grownups whisper quietly trying not to wake the sleeping children. An elderly woman, looking nearly seventy, is crying softly with her husband trying to comfort her. An even older man is sitting in a turned around chair, with another much younger woman, thirty at most, is sitting at a door way peeking in the room. Ceddie and Icie are sleeping on the floor.

"I can't believe it's gone," the old woman whimpers. "Are you sure nothing else was stolen Josey?" the old man asks. "Everything was pristine when we got home. It wasn't 'til Josey took the bricks out of the wall to check on the necklace that we knew it was gone."

Suddenly there's a loud ruckus outside with screaming men. The door slams open. Jason and two other older men drag a scholar into the house and force him to his knees. The oldest of the men, looking in his mid fifties, puts his fish gutting knife to his neck, "You come to steal from us again do you?" "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Release her! Can't you see she's a woman!" commands the old man. "As if that carries any meaning nowadays," the other man says twisting one of her arms. "What are you doing you'll wake the children," the young woman scolds.

"This person was sneaking around outside, Bluesky," Jason says. "I'm not a thief, I swear," begs the scholar. "My name's Adelheid Sturm, 2nd Legion Scouts' Captain. I'm part of a murder investigation and my curiosity got the better of me. I'm sorry. Please let me go." Fear rips through the room at the name and the men release her instantly. Adelheid rubs her sore shoulders, "You fishermen sure have a strong grip."

The old man grips the back of the chair in front of him and rises, "My humblest apologies Captain Strum, please do not report this." "I have no intention to," she brushes off her clothes and looks the old man straight in the face, "Am I correct in the assumption that I am addressing Jacob Gutenberg, the great-grandson of Josephine Wallace Gutenberg?"

The old man jumps back with a start, "You know who we are?" "I was only confirming a suspicion. You see while investigating the murder I can across some unusual information concerning your family background. My coming here was only for personal gratification. Now tell me about this robbery. Maybe I can be of assistance."

Jacob turns his chair around straight and sits back down, "That would be appreciated, see the jewelry involved were my mother's grandmother's. If we were to report it, it would raise eyebrows." "Father, I don't get this. What's going on?" Josey's husband asks.

Jacob looks at the ground, "David Doek, you married into this family, and you're a good man. But there is an old secret in this family I was hoping would die out so I never told you…" he takes a deep breath and continues, "My mother was of wealthy birth. Her Grandma Josephine was trapped in an arranged marriage but she was in love with another man. When the affair was discovered, they had him murdered. The necklace and earrings were that man's promise to her. When Momma was a young girl, her father discovered this overhearing a bedtime story. He killed the both Josephine and her mother Azurella and sold the necklace and Momma to a slave trader on his way out of port. At sea that night Momma slipped her bonds," He looks up at his son-in-law, "And you know the rest of the story."

"So the necklace was given to her by Blue Iceberg you say?" Adelheid says. If she was a cat, her ears would be twitching. "Blue Iceberg?" David says looking at Jacob. He looks back down, "The man was Tenshodo. That was his code name. His real name I don't know."

If Adelheid's ears weren't twitching like a Mithra's already, they are now.

"What does this necklace look like?" Josey looks up at her face wet with tears, "It was a large necklace that drapes all the way to your bosom. It and the earrings are made of red rubies in a starburst pattern. It's rather dull looking. No matter how much you polish it they never shine."

"I'll definitely look into this for you," Adelheid says, "And I will keep this a private matter. I'm sure your family has its reasons for keeping your ancestry a secret." She turns to leave, the other men move out of the way and she exits the house.

"Jacob have you kept this a secret from just me or from all your children?" David accuses. Jason and the two other men look at the ground and raise their hands slightly. "Michael, Daniel, Jason you too?" The oldest of the brothers, Michael, the man in his fifties, steps up. "Brother please I know you're mad, but Granny didn't want anyone to know who she was. To her, the young girl she was died along side her mother. If the necklace wasn't haunted by Josephine's ghost I don't think she ever would have told us about the murder."

David shocked looks down at his wife, "Is that true?" She nods. "You could only see her in a mirror if you where wearing them but you could hear her without it. She would ask, 'Take me to him. Take me to him.' over and over again." "Even Momma couldn't figure out what she meant," Jacob says standing up.

He looks at the clock, it's nearly 2 A.M. "Either we all go to bed now and get a few hours, or we go a full two days without sleep. I'm going to bed. We can finish this discussion tomorrow." Jacob walks past Bluesky into the bedroom. He untangles the children's blanket carefully and tucks them in better, then crawls into the only bed in the house. The siblings just stare at each other for a moment then all but Jason and his wife, Bluesky, slowly leave the home. Bluesky then unrolls their sleeping mats and blankets and snuggle up together to keep warm in the chilly desert air.

It's well into the afternoon. Drogo keeps glancing towards the barracks waiting for Star to come running down the steps, but she is absent. Even though her illness makes her tired and sleep well towards lunch, she should have woken by now. Drogo looks down at the wax paper and crumbs of the lunch one of the children's mothers made him in his lap then glances at the other children playing marbles. "You thinking about the Mithra girl?" one of the older girls asks walking up to him. Drogo turns back and nods. "Go look for her then. You don't have to stay here with us." Drogo smiles, folds up the wax paper and runs off.

Climbing the steps into Freidrich Battery Circle, he is surprised to see the Copperheads all standing around moping. Drogo is recognized walking up to them. The woman he attacked hides behind another Mithra while others just glare at him. "Oh look it's the little rat with the hymnal," one says.

Drogo is surprised by the cold reception. "Why are you all still in the city?" he asks. Arenk walks up behind him, "I hear you and Star caused a commotion the other day that caught the President's attention. He's put us on city patrol because of you two." "These Humes don't understand anything. Does he really think pulling us from the battlefield will give honor to little Star?" shoots off another Mithra angrily. "If you're looking for my niece she's probably with my sister in the library with that Elvaan helping with the exorcism." "But the soldiers are keeping everyone away," Drogo asks confused, "Why would she be different?"

"Well I see Galkas live up to their reputation," Arenk laughs. A Mithra who knows he is "The Game Sage" from the famous chess match thinks for a moment. "Wait… are things so illogical here that those who converse with spirits are denied the means to defeat them?" "Wait, so Major Viki is an exorcist too?" Drogo asks surprised. "Well look the little rat actually figured it out," mocks one of Arenk's groupies patronizingly. Most of the Mithras laugh and Drogo fumes off.

On the way to the library, he hears Ceddie yelling at Icie. He runs towards the fight. He sees Icie crying as her brother lets her have it. "Aunt Josephine told you the necklace was a secret now look at what you've done! If you hadn't opened your big mouth…" "Doggie!" she runs over to him bawling.

"What's wrong?"

"The talking necklace Blueice opened her big mouth about was stolen last night." Drogo would have jumped back shocked if Icie wasn't clinging to him, "Blue Iceberg?" "What do you mean? My sister's name is Blueice, the Iceberg is my family's boat." "And you said your aunt's name was Josephine?" "Yes." "What's your last name?" "It's Gutenberg. Gamesage why you being weird all of a sudden?" A look of terror overwhelms every inch of Drogo's body. He pushes Icie to the ground hard then runs of screaming towards the library, "Major Viki!"

Father Ermenegilde is sitting in a chair at a large table covered in books, note books and files with Major Viki standing next to him. They are comparing notes and techniques with the enthusiasm only a fanatic nerd can muster while Zelig is doing a martial routine with two Kraken clubs with a big smile on his face.

He laughs, "Ah, it's good to play with Justice and Mercy again." "Justice and Mercy?" asks Major Viki. "It's the names I gave my favorite clubs back when I was a younger man." "How did you two know each other so well anyway?" she asks. "On my first pilgrimage before even my nineteenth year, I came to Bastok the first time. I guess those thieves thought a friar would be easy pickings." He points at Zelig with his thumb, "Zelig's caretaker was the responding officer. He was quite taken aback by my skills."

"More like your brutality," says Zelig, "If you hadn't been a White Mage those men would have been dead." Major Viki stares at the elderly priest. He turns back to his work, "Justice and Mercy go hand in hand," he says nonchalantly, but his eyes cannot hide his smile.

"I hope for the sake of the Republic you're not being serious with those clubs," someone says walking up behind them. They turn around. "Oh it's you," Major Viki says, "Chief Strum am I correct?" "Good to see you too again Major Viki. I thought the President told you not to interfere?"

Father Ermenegilde looks up surprised, "Has he my child?" "He has done no such thing," she says offended, "He simply said my approach was unfeasible under the circumstances in his opinion." "Which the connotation is to cease all activities and surrender full control to Father Ermenegilde. President Prien will be furious if he discovers you disobeyed a direct order."

"She has done no such thing," Father Ermenegilde says standing up, "She is here at my insistence. If the President as concerns about it then he must bring it up with me." "If Major Viki came to you volunteering her services then it will be in violation no matter what you argue. If not then he will demand where you learned of her training and sought her out." "It was in the file he gave me. Simple as that. She and Zelig are assisting me at my request," he says sternly.

"I'm not here to report you, I came for assistance with another haunting as a personal request made to me. An enchanted item was stolen and the owners fear when the spirit of their relative is discovered it will be discarded or worse destroyed. Time is of the essence with this case."

"Why do they not report it to the police?" asks Zelig putting the clubs on the table. "It is the ruby necklace of Josephine, I'm sure you know of it Private Zelig." "Someone stole Grandma Jo…!" he clamps his hand over his mouth. He looks nervously. Some stares come from other people glancing around the book shelves. Adelheid waves and everyone turns back to their activities.

"Josephine? As in our Josephine?" Major Viki asks. "Has Josephine also joined the undead?" Father Ermenegilde asks Zelig. "I don't know what to say. You can only see her looking in a mirror while wearing the necklace and earrings. All she says is "Take me to him" over and over again." "Take me to him?" Father Ermenegilde thinks out loud, "Could she mean…"

Suddenly they hear screaming coming from the entrance to the Library. The librarian rounds the bookshelves pointing. Drogo comes running up frantic, "Major Viki!" "Drogo what is it?" Father Ermenegilde asks. "Where's my daughter?" Major Viki demands. "Star took Icie's talking necklace!" he hyperventilates. "Altana!" Major Viki dashes down the isle. Everyone chases after her.

They come to the steps and instead of running down them, Father Ermenegilde takes is Kraken club, jumps on the railing, and grinds down. At the end, he shifts his weight and jumps off, flipping his club into the air and catching it by the handle in a single fluid moment. He takes off ahead of them. "How did he do that? He could have fallen into the water!" Adelheid says to Zelig running next to her. "Welcome to Friar Ermie, he's as nuts as ever."

They come to the alley and there's a swirling cloud of miasma like a tornado with sparks of lightning and stray beams of light cutting though the cloud like angel's hair. Father Ermenegilde approaches the cloud and casts a spell commanding the cloud to part. It groans and twists under the strain like a wily beast trying to break loose from its tether. The spell fails shooting a backdraft of lightning back at the elderly priest. He skillfully captures the blowback with his twin clubs and redirects the blast into the mountain face in a mighty crack of thunder.

Major Viki steps up next, her spell designed to lift the cloud from underneath without breaking its rotation instead of the straight display of power. She gets good penetration but she is unable to completely lift the rotation. The cloud settles back into position.

Adelheid casts Aurorastorm. The cloud thrashes and the rotation weakens. "Hurry! Cast them together! Major you first the Father aim the spell for the final push through!" The three spells stack, Major Viki lifts the cloud and Father Ermenegilde swings his club along the ground providing the extra energy to drive though, but it's only four feet.

The young Adelheid and Major Viki scurry though. "I can't get though there!" Father Ermenegilde shouts. Zelig glances around and spots a flatbed dolly. He grabs the handles and pushes it towards the cloud, "Father get on!" The old Elvaan lies flat on his belly only inches from the ground. "Ok here we go!" Zelig gets a solid running start. "Mother Altana I too old for this," Father Ermenegilde whispers as he closes his eyes. Zelig lets go at the dolly and it charges through the gap.

"What's that noise?" Major Viki asks from the eye of the hurricane. She glances down though the hole and almost gets smacked in the head as the dolly charges in. "Father? Father, open your eyes! You alright?" Adelheid shakes him. He raises his head and looks around, "I'm alive?" He looks behind him and screams, crawling frantically off the dolly bumping into Adelheid. The handles are burned off in a straight slash across the iron bars at the level of the cloud. "Father calm you heart!" Adelheid pleads, "Major Viki is already up the steps."

Zelig watches the cloud begin the lower and pick up in strength as the Aurorastorm fades. Suddenly Drogo runs up from behind and darts under the cloud before Zelig can grab him. "Drogo!" Zelig watches the cloud finish dropping and drops to his knees with it. He puts his face in his hands, "Oh Drogo! No please Altana…"

Drogo rolls out of the other end beating the dropping cloud. He runs up the steps. Major Viki is holding the other two back, the design on the ground is eradiating white light, "If we break the chalk line we break the spell!" she shouts over the gale. "It's up to Star now… we can't help her…" she whimpers.

Drogo comes up and squeezes through. "Drogo? When did you get here?" Father Ermenegilde asks. Drogo doesn't answer he just looks at the scene ahead. A glowing older woman, the diamond earrings fluttering in the updraft, is on her knees as the Fomor lies limp in her arms. The miasma looks like water boiling fiercely from its back rises like bellowing stream into the tornadic rotation above.

The Fomor looks up from the woman's shoulder. The two golden glows look at Drogo longingly. Major Viki kneels down behind Drogo and wraps her right arm around his front looking straight ahead, "He wants something from you Drogo but I can't tell what. It's the only thing standing between them and peace," she turns to him, "for the both of them," she says in Drogo's ear.

Drogo nods and takes a few steps forward. "And Romero enters the crypt, determined to take his own life to join his beloved in death. But went he walks into the chamber he finds his beloved, Jewel, shaking the poison sleep from her head. A first he thought he was witnessing a ghost, but when she assured him she was alive, he ran to kiss her. Then, still weary from the potion, he picks her up and carries her from the tomb as if he was carrying her over the threshold and places her on his chocobo. Then he mounts behind her and they ride off together leaving the warring city behind and they live happily ever after."

The Fomor nods and buries its face back into the woman's shoulder. Then the final black sludge boils away revealing the spirit of a Galka. The old woman takes her hands and gently lifts Blue Iceberg's face in front of hers. She smiles. "Josey…" he whispers. They kiss. Everyone shields their eyes as they disappear in a column of light.

The miasma dissolves into the air. Zelig looks up at the walkway, "Drogo! Drogo you there?!" Drogo comes over to the railing. Zelig hits his knees and closes his eyes, "Thank you Goddess," he whimpers. Hearing the voices, Star walks out of the room, "What are you doing here Mommy?"

Zelig hears screaming children as he rounds the stairwell. He comes up and Star runs into him crying. He puts his hands on her shoulders and pulls her in front, "Whoa Whoa, What's wrong little one?" He sees a wet face with her hands on her butt. "Mommy hit me!" she wails. "Never scare me like that again!" Major Viki screams also with a wet face. Star turns around to face her furious mother, "I thought you'd be proud of me!" She turns around and runs wailing down the steps. "Star! Come back!" Drogo runs past Zelig and down the steps. "I got them," Zelig says turning back down the stairwell.

Father examines the chalk emblem drawn on the floor, "This spell is brilliantly designed. I've never seen anything like it." "It's an old Mithran spell used to communicate with the dead, but it needs a catalyst, a belonging of some kind." "That would be these," Adelheid walks up.

She unfolds her scarf revealing the gems. "These were in the center of the mark." Major Viki holds one of the earrings in her palm, "These are the jewels Blue Iceberg gave to Josephine. How did she ever find him?" "The design matches the ruby necklace stolen last night," Adelheid says, "but these are diamonds." "Icie's talking necklace. Star heard it from the children then followed them home," Major Viki closes her eyes, "I sense no spirit within them." She opens her eyes, "Star must have fulfilled her longing by bringing her to her lover."

Adelheid takes the earring and rewraps the jewelry, "That doesn't explain why the gems chanced color if this is the same necklace." "Josephine was murdered was she not?" Father Ermenegilde says, "Her suffering could have tainted the stones. I've seen enchanted items chance color before when cleansed, especially when the binding substance was blood." "I see," Adelheid muses, "Then these have always been diamonds, but the family has never known it."

Father Ermenegilde stands up and walks over, "Major Viki, may I have a word over the future of your daughter?" The two women turn from their discussion. "What is it?" she asks. "Major your daughter has a gift. Properly groomed she can become a beacon of hope for your race. May I interest you in entering your child into the Missionary Schools?" He is unprepared for the rage enveloping her face.

"Never!" she screams, "I'll never submit my baby to your Temple. They are horrid and cruel." "Major I understand your reluctance, I myself have disagreements with some of the actions of the Temple, but young Star is a blessing…" "And do you openly voice your disagreements Father?" Major Viki interrupts snarling. He looks at the ground, "No, no I do not... But I have completely sacrificed my own sinful desires for the loving grace of Mother Altana."

"And who told you your desires were sinful to begin with?" "It is the state we are all born in bound by the curse of Promathia." Major Viki starts poking him in the chest. He backs up slowly with every touch but Major Viki matches him step for step, "And isn't Arrogance the tie that binds your race? How do you know your faith is the pure will of Altana and not the curse of certainty that blinds you to the true path She desires of us?" "We are all subject to sin Major Viki, even the leaders of the Temple can be blind at times…"

"And do you voice those concerns?" she interrupts again, "Or do you hide yourself under the veil of silence? Isn't your silence itself a sin if you truly believe what your heart tells you, or do you only lie when you say you have completely sacrificed your own will to another?"

Father Ermenegilde looks away from her face. She knows she's gotten to him and smiles. "My babe is willful and stubborn. She does not obey blindly but questions openly why things are the way they are and imagines other ways things should be. What would happen to her in your schools? How are children like that dealt with?"

"Major Viki I understand your fears…" he says half-heartedly not returning from his gaze at the ground. "Look, I know you mean well. But you need to have an understanding of what you are in order to completely sacrifice that to another. My daughter does not have that understanding. She is like me when I was young, unable to find the line between herself and those around her. Once she can differentiate between the voice of her heart and the voice of others, then that will be her decision. But until then, she belongs to me. I refuse to allow her to become a slave, no not a slave, an appendage… an appendage to someone else for the short time she has in this form."

"Forgive me for interrupting," Adelheid says, "I don't understand the context here, but wouldn't that make your daughter only an appendage to you?" Father Ermenegilde watches Major Viki's face turn to shock and dismay. She puts her hand over her mouth and looks away at the ground. He can tell she's about to cry.

A thought pops through Father Ermenegilde's mind and he looks up at the two of them. "We're going to have to come up with a consistent story to protect the family," he says changing the subject, "Though the elder Blueice was known of her own accord, she was always adamant about concealing her ancestry. She said 'I am dead to them and they are dead to me'. I had no idea 'til now who she was. The Wallace's are a dangerous dynasty."

"He's right," Adelheid concurs, "They became wealthy after the murder of the Gutenberg line, a proper heir won't be tolerated." "Then it's decided then," Major Viki nods, "Father Ermenegilde did it himself with your assistance. I wasn't here. My involvement could bring Star into question."

They walk down the stairwell into the alley discussing the details. They find Star still whimpering, with Zelig and Drogo trying to calm her. Star sees her mother walking towards her and runs behind Zelig's legs. Father Ermenegilde sees the scared little girl, then glances at her mother. She sheepishly looks away. "I think young Adelheid and I should go ahead. Things will be better that way." He waves for Adelheid and she nods and follows leaving the parents with their children.

They stare at each other, Star peeking up from Zelig's legs. Major Viki then kneels and opens her arms. Star runs into them. They both cry. She kisses her daughter. Zelig smiles, then turns to Drogo.

"Drogo…" he begins, "I'm not the type of man that spanks… but please don't scare me like that again… I thought I'd lost you…" he sniffles trying to hold back the tears. Drogo looks up surprised, "Why were you worried? He'd never hurt me. Why would that change now?" Major Viki and Star turn from crying to look at them. "What happened?" Major Viki asks. "After I pushed Father Ermie under the cloud, Drogo ran under the cloud after it started to descend." "He did what?!" She screams enraged.

Star pulls back then runs back behind Zelig's legs wailing again. Zelig steps in front of Drogo, "Major please calm down. He's alright now, it's over." Drogo glances back and forth between the adults, "What is it? I said so before he would never hurt me." "Drogo…" she begins, "The purification process separates the soul from the dark forces, the cloud was not under his control. It was no better than a rabid beast." Drogo looks at the ground and closes his eyes. He looks back up, "He would never hurt me," he says slowly. Then he runs away. Star watches him run away, looks up at her mother, then leaving the safety of Zelig, runs after him.

Major Viki stands. Zelig glares her. "You were a little brutal on your daughter. She said you had never struck her before." Major Viki looks at the ground, "Yes…" She rubs her right arm sheepishly, "I should be proud of her… She did everything right… I guess I was still terrified from the miasmic cloud…" She tries to fight back the tears, "I've never seen such a mass of hatred and rage before anywhere."

It's Zelig's turn to look at the ground, "The rage of the Galka runs deeper than any of the mines we have dug for the Humes combined… That is the curse we bear…" He sees Major Viki put her hand on his heart, "That may be so…" He looks up and is surprised when they lock eyes accidently, "… But you are also capable of the greatest compassion I have ever felt…" she lays her head on his abdomen, since even if she stood on her own shoulders she would barely reach his chin. "… I could crawl inside forever."

After a few moments she looks back up, "Let's go find the children." Zelig turns and watches her walk away with a blank look on his face. When she notices she's alone, Major Viki turns around. "What you doing back there silly? Come on," she giggles.

They find Drogo and Star around the corner. Drogo is sniffling. Star looks at Drogo puzzled, "Why you look sad? I thought you'd be happy?" Major Viki looks puzzled too, "You should rejoice that your old friend has finally found peace." "I am…" he wipes his eyes, "I'm just going to miss my friend… He was the only friend I had…"

Major Viki kneels, "Drogo. It's time to look forward to the shadows of the things yet to come, and not dwell on the shadows of what has already been. Look to the living for comfort about the past and give strength to bear the weight of the future. There are those who still need your kindness." Drogo nods and forces a smile.

They walk into Markets. "Drogo, what was it you said to him that tipped the balance for his departure?" Major Viki asks. "I read books before I go to bed, it was the ending to the one we were reading now, Romero and Jewel." Zelig jumps back startled, "You were reading that suicide story to him! Drogo how could you?" Drogo looks up at Zelig, "Is that how it really ends?" He glances at the ground, "I was getting a bad feeling about it…" He looks back up, "Why do Humes like so many sad stories? Why can't they like happy ones?"

"But that's not what you told him? You said they ran off together?" Major Viki says. Zelig shakes his head, "No they commit suicide together." Drogo turns her, "But he'll never know that now will he? He needed to know that there can be room in the world for true love." Drogo turns and walks up the steps. Zelig sees Major Viki bite her lower lip, "What's wrong?" She looks at him, "He knew. She looks down at the ground and nods, "He knew…"

Entering Freidrich Battery Circle, Drogo suddenly turns around with a desperate look on his face. He sniffles, "Zbigniew? Tell me what to do Zbigniew? I don't know what to do Zbigniew." "What's wrong Drogo?" "Without Iceberg protecting me… People are going to come into the restricted section… I don't want things to go back to the way they were before…" He turns frantic, "with everyone being mean to me and hitting me and breaking my toys and burning my books," he hits his knees, "I don't wanna fight anymore…," He leans forward putting his hands on the ground, "I don't wanna sleep fifteen people to a room again… I don't wanna have to sleep next to the bucket again and get it tipped on me."

Terror envelopes Zelig's face. He's experienced this panic attack before.

Zelig kneels down and smothers the boy deep within his great arms, "Drogo I'm so sorry. I had no idea you were living like that. I forgot the one thing you taught me and you've suffered for it." He can feel him trembling like a leaf. "All right come on," he whispers. Drogo clings to Zelig's neck and he lifts his young ward as he stands up. He starts to cough.

"Drogo…" Zelig tries to comfort him, "I don't know how much I can give… I live and work in Port. If you're willing… you come live with me. It won't be as roomy as owning your own street… we're rather crowded as it is… but I know the people I work for will welcome you with open arms… We'll find room for your things… But no one will hurt you again as long as I live. And that will go for them too. No one will ever hurt you again." Major Viki rubs his back. "I know… no more fighting right?" she looks around Zelig's shoulder trying to catch a peek at his face. Drogo looks down from Zelig's neck. She smiles.

A Hume soldier runs up to the group screaming, "All soldiers to arms! All soldiers to arms!" "What's happening?" Zelig and Major Viki yell almost in unison. The soldier stops running and stops in front of them hyperventilating. "The Quadav have burrowed their way into Zeruhn! And now the Galkas are rioting because of the evacuation! …Thieves are also taking advantage of the chaos…and…" he stops to pant.

"My Teddy!" Star screams. Drogo panics, "My Bucket!" Star squinches her face as if she's sucking on a lemon and shivers in disgust. "Why are you worried about that yucky bucket? Ick!" Zelig leans down and puts Drogo back on the ground. He and Major Viki grab their weapons, "You two stay here. We'll be right back." They both run off into the fray.

Drogo and Star sit on the sea wall and watch the frantic running back and forth from the entrance to the mining district across the aptly named Galkan Bridge. At first it is soldiers running in. Star calls out to Adelheid Sturm as she darts past but she goes unnoticed. Next it is the wounded and arrested rioters being led out. Then it is well dressed shop owners and their employees with animal carts pulling out their merchandise. But near sunset a new sight greets their eyes.

The destitute of Bastok begin parading down the bridge into Markets. Thousands of people, mostly Galkas but some Hume families as well, pour out of the city gates. The other Humes that have been rubbernecking quickly pinch their noses and run into their large homes and order their many servants to shutter the windows against the smell of the unkempt horde. People carrying what few extra pieces of clothing they own, some carry nothing at all. Some are nearly naked, many children actually are. A few lucky souls carry some personal items, like buckets and crates.

Drogo and Star start to panic as the last of the crowd files past realizing their parents aren't among the throngs of people. "I don't see Zbigniew!" Drogo starts to cry again. "I want my Mommy," Star starts to wail. The bawling children are completely ignored, just two more desperates it the mass of desperates worried about themselves and their immediates.

Drogo reaches over and hugs Star. As they cling to each other, Star's left ear twitches in the direction of Mines. As Drogo screams she frantically moves her ears back and forth trying to listen to something. She trying to turn around but Drogo's iron death grip won't let her. "Drogo… Drogo?" She starts to hit him, "Let me go! Let me go Gamesage!" Drogo finally relents and she runs back over to the wall and looks down at the bridge.

On the bridge are their parents, Zelig pulling his boy's squeaky three wheeled toy wagon. In it are his small broken nightstand dresser-drawers and a broken crate. In his other hand is the rusty bucket. Her mother is carrying his old blanket and cracked lamp. Seeing her baby looking at them she raises her right hand triumphantly holding her teddy bear.

"Its Mommy and Zbigniew!" she screams hopping down from the wall and beginning to race down the steps. Drogo gets up from his knees and peaks over the wall. He then joins Star in the mad rush to hug them.

They both run screaming into their parents legs. Major Viki kneels down to hug her baby, but Drogo's death grip prevents Zelig from hugging him. "Here's your teddy sweetie," Major Viki hands her daughter her toy. "Teddy!" she hugs it tight and kisses it, "I'm never going to leave you again. Never, never, never, never."

"We were able to gather all your things of any value. Word hadn't spread yet about the exorcism Star did so we were pretty lucky no one stole anything. But don't worry about your books. I can't think of a Galka or Hume that would take the effort to move them. We'll find a way to get them," Zelig lets go of the wagon's handle and rubs his hand through Drogo's hair trying to comfort him. Drogo only clings tighter still bawling. Zelig starts to grimace in pain, "Drogo, Drogo you're gonna break my leg. You're hurting me please let go or loosen up." Drogo lets go and backs up. He rubs his face on his sleeve. Zelig puts the bucket down, kneels and extends his arms. Drogo runs into them and Zelig lifts him up.

Star looks up at her mother. "Mommy, why is everyone leaving?" "They have closed down the mining district for good this time. There is no going back," answers Zelig. "Then where am I going to sleep tonight?" asks Drogo scared. "Don't worry, Zelig and I have already talked it over. You will be staying with us in the storage sheds."

Star gets all excited. She looks up at Drogo, "Isn't that great!" she says smiling, "Now we can have sleepovers and stuff!" Drogo looks nervous and still scared at the news. "What's wrong? I thought you'd be excided?" Major Viki asks.

"Well…it's… it's just that… you guys are girls," he stutters. "So what does that have to do with anything!" Star gets angry, puts her hands on her hips and stomps her foot. Zelig can't stop from laughing. Not as deep as Gamesage's, but it still echoes in his throat. "What's so funny?" demands Star still fuming. "Drogo… I sleep with five Hume men in the barracks…trust me… as you get older you will start to appreciate the differences!"

"I thought Galkas where neutral?" Major Viki asks. There is some hope in her voice for some reason. "We are, but that doesn't mean we don't recognize beauty when we see it. True beauty is independent from lust." Major Viki brings her hand to her mouth giggling. She then slips her arm behind her back pulling her chest forward, wiggles like a little school girl, and twitches her tail seductively. "Really?"

Zelig turns bright red and recoils in shock as he finally gets it. Major Viki's face turns to rage as she mimics her daughter's fit. "Humph! Well I never!" She extends her hand to her daughter, "Come on sweetie lets go!" Star takes her hand and the start to climb the steps. Zelig adjusts Drogo and extends his newly free hand, "Wait! Viki! I'm sorry! I didn't mean…I just…I…" Zelig hangs his head in defeat. He pinches the bridge of his nose, "I'm in trouble. I'm in big trouble." Drogo is completely lost, "What's wrong with Major Viki?" "I don't know, Drogo… I honestly don't know," he says chuckling.

Suddenly they hear Major Viki scream. Zelig runs up the steps still carrying Drogo. Major Viki is standing at the top of the steps. She's trembling hard and has her free hand over her gaping mouth. She's crying. He puts Drogo down and goes over to her. Drogo sees Star crouching down, eyes closed, with fingers in her ears facing back down the steps. Drogo walks in front and taps her on the shoulder, "What are you doing?" Star peeks out of her left eye and sees it's Drogo. "Mommy told me not to look."

"What's the matter?" Zelig asks panicked. She just keeps looks ahead completely paralyzed by the sight. Zelig looks to see watch sees staring at.

There is chaos in Markets. The air is putrid with the most diabolical racial slurs the mind can imagine. Hume children are throwing rocks. Gardeners are attacking the newly homeless with shovels and hoes as the try to rest in the bushes and under trees. Servants are beating children with brooms as they huddle under awnings. Women are pouring what is hopefully water and are dumping garbage from second story windows on the Galkas below. And men and teens are mugging people with clubs, knives and guns destroying what little they own. One group of teens take a pile of clothes, pours whiskey on it, and set it on fire.

The fire puts the mob into a greater frenzy as more people begin attacking the Galkas and throwing their clothing and other items into the growing bonfire. And the soldiers, who forced them from their homes in the first place, are either ignoring the violence, joining in, or arresting the Galkas trying to find a place to sleep. Zelig looks back at Major Viki and smiles sympathetically. He puts is hand on her shoulder. "Welcome to Bastok."

She turns to him and cries into his broad form.

The sun finally sets as an exhausted Adelheid Sturm makes her way through Port. Bluesky spots her while bringing in the day's laundry from the lines. She drops the basket in shock and runs inside, "Father Jacob!"

The heads of the family gather, old Jacob and the four couples, all between their sixties to late forties minus the baby Jason and his young wife. Ceddie and Icie peek out from the other room. "You found the necklace?" Josey asks hopefully. "Yes I have. Though you might not recognize it." Adelheid presents the jewelry box. "Oh no…" Josey laments thinking it has been damaged.

The despair on the faces in the room echoes her moans. She opens the lid. To everyone's surprise Josey pulls out a sparking diamond necklace. The room begins to shimmer like the Milky Way as the lamplight strikes the many multitudes of facets in the brilliantly cut stones. Icie runs into the room looking around amazed, "It's so pretty Momma!" She starts to run around giggling chasing the lights.

Josey looks at Adelheid confused, "But these are diamonds?" Jacob smirks teary eyed. "They were always diamonds. See, the person who stole them is a young exorcist who used them to lure the Fomor of your great-great-grandmother's lover out of hiding. In the process, she cleansed the diamonds of the spirit they carried," Adelheid explains. "'Take me to him'…That's what she meant. That's what she wanted all these years," Jacob says. "But why were the diamonds red before?" asks Daniel.

"An Elvaan priest who was originally selected by the government for this task said that spirited items resulting from murder often change color from the presence of blood. Josephine's blood must have splattered over the jewelry and the crystals imbibed part of her essence." "But how did this person know about the necklace?" asks Bluesky picking up her daughter. "That she refuses to divulge. Even speculation is beyond me." "Momma Gran-Gran Josey is happy now! That's why they are shiny. She was so sad before, the necklace looked like it was gonna cry."

"How do you children know about her?" Jason snaps. "We saw Aunt Josey with the necklace and she let us wear it and look in her mirror," confesses Ceddie stepping out of the shadows. "They're right," Josey says looking at the floor ashamed, "I should have been more careful," she looks back up, "but once they saw it I thought they should know before they went poking about on their own." All the adults glare at the children. Ceddie knows their in trouble. "I didn't do it! It was Icie!" he says pointing.

"Icie did you tell someone about Aunt Josey's necklace?" her father demands.

Icie smiles proudly and nods, "Yep," her face sours, "but then everyone called me a liar. Bear-Bear believed me though. She was the only one." "Zeddie who's "Bear-Bear"?" Jason scolds. "She's the young exorcist," interjects Adelheid, "That solves that little mystery." "Wait…_She_ took down a Fomor? She's younger than me!" Ceddie exclaims.

Disbelief fills the faces in the room, but before anything can be said… "That makes sense! Bear-Bear would make Gran-Gran so shiny! She makes everyone so happy everyone smiles this big!" little Icie stretches out her arms as far as she can.

They all look at Adelheid Strum. "She's right on that point," she chuckles. Then turns serious, "And also comes from a long family of exorcists. Her mother and I were part of the team assigned to deal with it. Scared all of us to death when we discovered her rash actions." She pleads with her hands, "Please leave that detail to yourselves. If my superiors where to discover that children had become involved…"

Jacob rises from him chair, "There's no need to ask. It would reveal our identities if we did. I assume you lied in the report by the fear in your face." "You would have made an excellent scholar," Adelheid answers. Jacob walks over and opens the door, "Thank you for your help, now I think it's time for everyone to head to bed." Josey quickly puts the necklace away and hides the box under her shawl as everyone quickly leaves for their homes.

Instead of closing the door after everyone, Jacob begins to walk outside. "Father where are you going?" asks Jason. "Just to get some air. I'll be along side the house."

Jacob leans against the wall in a dark shadow of the home. He stares up at the night sky. It shimmers just like the diamonds in the flickering lamplight.

"Josephine… Yakobah… Rest in peace now… together…" he whispers half to himself, half in prayer. He glances to his right, "Port can be a dangerous place at night young Strum." She runs off, "You must have me confused with someone else!"

President Prien is arguing with his advisors the next morning, "You heard what I said. Now that's an order!" "But sir, to release the rioters after attacking our soldiers…" "Look after everything that has happened, the perception of us holding their fellow brethren captive will only make things worse. Gather the Galkan Elders Council and release them directly into their custody. I will not have a civil war! Now get out all of you!"

After everyone leaves the room, President Prien slumps back into his chair. Exhaustion overcomes him. He tries to gather new strength from some still untapped reserve deep within him so not to show weakness in this time of his country's greatest desperation. Suddenly a frantic rasping knock comes from his office door. He quickly gathers himself and rises strait and firm from his chair. "Come in."

A messenger, pale and frightened enters the room along with the return of some of his advisors and guards. "What is your report?" President Prien asks sternly showing no sign of his previous moment of weakness. "Sir!" he salutes, "The soldiers returning from Grauberg last night have unfortunately discovered the source of the piles of dead Quadav that have been discovered as of late at the ramp for the past few dawns. The three survivors report…"

President Prien quietly manages to hide his shock and dismay by carefully sitting back into his chair as he listens to the horror story. "What are your orders sir?" a soldier asks. President Prien leans back in his chair and looks at the ceiling for a short time. "Sir? Your orders?" he asks again concerned at the unusually long silence. President Prien leans forward in his chair and looks at his men. "Fetch me the Elvaan priest who preformed the exorcism in Mines yesterday." He motions for them to leave the room.

President Prien calls Father Ermenegilde into his office. "Father Ermenegilde I have another exorcism for you if you will accept it." "I would be honored," he bows. President Prien continues, "There is a Fomor haunting the ramp in North Gustaberg. It recently wiped out almost an entire battalion last night returning home after sunset. Although it has also been attacking the Beastmen, we may owe it for the pile of Quadav corpses discovered three nights ago, there are new reports that the Dark Kindred have begun controlling Fomors on the battlefield. Its only a matter of time, this one may have turned already."

"You wish me to lay this one to rest?" "If you can, you will be given full escort. The ramp must be cleared of this obstruction." "May I make a request?" "Anything you need." "I ask that the Mithra Copperheads join us." "The Copperheads? You seek Major Viki's cooperation?" "Yes I do." "She didn't disobey my direct order did she? Her methods were unorthodox and I did not allow her tactics to go forward."

Father Ermenegilde shakes his head, "No we have met before previously and I thought her out. Her methods are not as unorthodox as they first appear. She was instrumental for me in the preparation for the exorcism in the Galkan slums although she was not there when it was performed. She would make a great asset, and if the Fomor is as powerful as you say then we will need all the warriors we can muster."

"Done, I will make the arrangements."

At sunset the Hume battalion and the Copperheads gather at the city gate leading to North Gustaberg. Major Viki walks up to meet Father Ermenegilde as he comes carrying a small bag. "Ah Major Viki, I'm glad to see you here." "Is that the seal for the exorcism?" she asks pointing at the bag. "Yes everything is here," he holds up the bag. He then bows to her, "I'm sorry for dragging you into this, please forgive me."

Major Viki puts her hands on her hips. "I would be more furious if you hadn't called on me for help," she says with attitude. "I'm glad to here it."

"You seem nervous Father?" The elderly Elvaan looks at the ground, "We both know the truth about the exorcism in Mines. I'm far too old to be out on the battlefield." Major Viki nods and smiles, "Don't worry. That's why I'm here." She takes out her own bag, "These are the materials I gathered previously for the original one." "Thank you so much again." He chuckles to hide is fear.

"As horrible as it sounds, I almost wish your daughter was able to come with us." Right as Father Ermenegilde says this Major Viki turns her head and spots a Mithra Ranger walking up with her gobbie bag, as the Adventurers call them, strapped to her back. "Mizar! What are you still doing here? I thought you left with the others." "I forgot someone very important to me." "May I ask who you forgot?" the priest asks.

Bearstar takes off her pack and places it on the ground. She opens it and pulls out an old worn out teddy bear. "Awe how adorable, may I hold it?" Major Viki asks.

Bearstar hands it to her. She examines it closely, "Awe, it looks just like my baby's teddy but its eyes are different." "That's because they have been replaced," Bearstar smiles and motions for the return of the bear. Major Viki gives it back and it is put back in the bag. As Bearstar stands back up putting her bag back on her back she asks, "So where are you going?"

"We are on our way to exorcize a Fomor at the ramp," answers Father Ermenegilde, "It has been the one responsible for all the deaths recently both Enlightened and Beastmen alike." "At the ramp? You mean all those dead Quadav that had their bulletproof armor broken like shattered glass?" "Yes that is the situation."

"I'm coming with you," Bearstar says firmly. "But you can't, you don't have any…" Major Viki clamps her hands over her mouth and glances nervously at Father Ermenegilde. "I don't care. I'm coming too. You're gonna need all the help you can get with this one." "Bless you generous heart child. Please aid us," he asks. Bearstar nods, "Always."

She glances over at the other Mithras to see if any are watching, then quickly gives the Altanan salute. Father Ermenegilde smiles and motions for Bearstar to walk in front of him. She nods and walks forward, followed by Major Viki. As darkness falls they exit the city into the night.

"Father, may I see what we have to work with against this Fomor?" Bearstar asks Father Ermenegilde. "You wish to see the seal child?" "Yes I do." "Are you also an exorcist?" he asks. "Yes, I am trained in multiple forms of the white arts."

He gives her the bag. Bearstar examines the seal carefully. She looks back up at the priest concerned, "I think you may have underestimated our quarry here." "I fear that too but this is the strongest seal I know how to make. But Major Viki as also made seals for this battle and I trust her judgment."

"This is Major Viki's first sojourn outside the Homeland. She knows nothing of how the Tarutaru and Elvaan magics work. The two may not reinforce each other, or worse still completely negate each other." "All we can really do now is trust in Altana to protect us," he says as they come in sight of the precipice.

Bearstar's misgivings prove prophetic. The Elvaan's seal proves too weak and the Mithran one negates them both. Free from its bonds the Fomor goes on offence. Trapped as a Ranger, Bearstar helplessly watched from a distance. As the massacre commences, she notices the Fomor is acting strangely. It is going full bore against the Humes, it is being gentler with the Mithras. Her worst suspicions are soon realized.

A fellow Mithra Ranger, one of Arenk's girls, with hatred in her eyes is unable to resist the opportunity. She aims her bow not at the Fomor but at Father Ermenegilde. The Fomor charges at the priest knocking all down in his way. It throws himself in front of him slicing the arrow from the air with his sword. When Major Viki goes to rescue him the Fomor only disarms her and throws her to the ground next to Father Ermenegilde. Instead of what would have been as easy kill, it turns and chases after the fleeing Humes.

Everyone turns and watches however when suddenly for no apparent reason Mizar sheathes her bow, clasps her hands together as if in prayer and begins to walk forward towards the Fomor.

She is extremely off key, the kind that the vaudeville hook was invented for. Not a correct note comes from her mouth, even the flats are flat and the sharps are sharp. There is no sophistication to the melody, the pitch just rises and falls steadily like something that would amuse a small child, if you can make it out through the screeching. "From where to the wind blows…" "Mizar don't sing…!" Major Viki screams but it's too late, the world "Altana" has already come from her mouth.

Major Viki knees hit the ground and she begins to cry uncontrollably. Many of the soldiers and the mercenaries are shocked at the words, some of the Mithras even grimace at the hymn.

The Fomor is paralyzed by the song. It drops its sword. As she nears, Mizar opens her arms wide and the Fomor collapses into them. She gently lowers to her knees as it goes limp in her embrace. As she keeps singing the darkness enveloping the lost soul begins to beak apart like the sun slowly piercing thick clouds. Snippets of white armor come and go in the black mist and shaggy red hair comes into view. "Squire Gwenael!" Father Ermenegilde screams in horror at what has become of him.

He whispers, "Bearstar… you've grown…but how?" Bearstar starts rocking back and forth as if lullabying a baby to sleep. "I can smell them…your flowers… no… my grandmother's flowers… in her garden…I can see her calling me to her…but she's dead." "Go to her Squire Gwenael. It's safe. Everything is all right." "Bearstar…my cousin…be careful" Squire Gwenael's spirit evaporates into thin air in her arms.

As the last of the dark fog fades away, she stands up. She waves her arm in the air out to her side. "Everything is over now! Tend the wounded and prepare to return to town!" she commands with an unheard before authority in her voice. It makes her sound uncannily similar to Major Viki.

On the way back to town, Father Ermenegilde questions "Mizar". "It's you isn't it Mizar?" "What do you mean?" "You're the one wanted in San d'Oria, the Mithra heretic Bearstar." "What makes you think that?" she says unusually calm. "This Mithra is supposedly mythical in abilities. And you, a Ranger no less, just banished a Fomor with only the sound of your voice."

She turns her head to look at Father Ermenegilde, "What if I am? What do you plan to do about it?" "I saw the red hair. After you laid gentle Gwenael to sleep, absolutely nothing. My mouth is closed." He looks ahead at the jabbing soldiers and the gossiping Mithras gathered around Arenk, "There's no hiding this. You will be recognized."

"Then open your mouth Father, my death has been ordered by the Papsque himself. No need for you to die on my behalf. But please leave my moth…" she coughs to hide her true word, "Excuse me. I mean Major Viki out of this." She looks lovingly at her mother walking ahead of them but behind the others.

Her steps are slow and labored. She looks like a mourner at a funeral march. The priest smiles in empathy as well, then turns back to Bearstar. "She is as safe as in confession booth." "Thank you, she says smiling. She turns back, looking ahead of her, "I'm not coming back to town so please look after her". "Where are you headed child?"

"Batallia Downs."

~ 34 ~


	11. Chapter 10 The Petition

**Chapter 10: The Petition**

The Battle of Jeuno comes and goes. It is a great victory for the Alliance. The reputation of Lilisette, Gamesage, and the other Adventures that made the victory possible only grows. Bearstar's fame also grows exponentially. Word comes directly from the Papsque, "Kill her now. Before her reputation becomes even more troublesome."

Zelig is walking back to his room after telling Major Viki and Star good night when he hears a noise in the armory. He follows the sound and finds an open door. He peeks in, and sees Gamesage and Bearstar. Dressed in White Mage garb, they are chanting and dousing the armor and weapons with water. Instead of interrupting them Zelig sneaks away and heads to bed.

Zelig tosses and turns most of the night. A cold chill creeps down his spine every time his thoughts drift to the scene in the armory. Around 3 A.M. he finally surrenders and awakens for good. He dresses quietly and sneaks away.

"Where do you think you are going?" orders one of the night guards stopping him at the gate. "Please I need to go to the Chapel." Zelig's face says more then words and the guards relent. One escorts him through the Metalworks to make sure he goes where he claims. The deacon on duty greets them as they enter.

"Thank you for escorting him, we will take in from here," he says. The guard leaves and the two sit down, "What's troubling you that you come at this time of night?" "No offence to you, but I'd rather speak to the Temple Father Ermenegilde. We've known each other for many years and he is familiar with my thoughts." "We will wake him. It is almost time for his morning prayers as it is."

Father Ermenegilde yawns and stretches as he walks into the Metalworks dressed only in his pajamas to the shock of the deacon. "Thank you for waking me. Now please go now for us to converse alone," he waves him off. The Deacon bows and leaves. Zelig glances around the Metalworks, "Your familiarity is drawing a lot of attention." "When I was told you were seeking me I knew it was important." "Can we find a place less visible? The Works echo." Father Ermenegilde nods.

He takes him to the heart of the chapel, "I'm always here alone for most of the morning. The nakedness of Bastok's faith can be disturbing. Altana rules over all days not just Lightsday." They sit down. "What brings you here so early?"

"My dreams," Zelig says, "I think they're trying to tell me something." "What are they?" "Before I went to bed I saw two Adventurer White Mages with in the armory chanting and throwing water on the armor. My dreams are mixing this with the cries of little Star. The power of prophesy runs in her family according to Major Viki and her nightmares are vivid and constant now." "What are her nightmares?" "They are of what she calls a giant dog killing her mother. I promised her that I would stop the dog but she still wakes up screaming every night since Jeuno." "What was the chant you heard the White Mages perform?"

Zelig sings part of what he heard and mimics the hand signs. Father Ermenegilde sighs, "Adventurers seem to have the power of prophesy in their own rights. That's a blessing to protect the wearer against joining the undead. Your dreams fear that the Major's death is close at hand." "That's what I was afraid of," Zelig laments hiding his face in his hands.

"One of those Adventurers was the Mithra heretic Bearstar wasn't she? And don't lie. I can see it in your face. I know she's Mizar." Zelig nods. "Then I guess I will have a lot of work to get to," Father Ermenegilde says standing up. "What do you mean?" Zelig asks. "Between the two Bearstars, I believe it would be prudent of me to begin making charms for the soldiers. Not to make you any more worried." Zelig nods. "That's all right, I was going to ask about that anyway."

Back in the armory, Gamesage and Bearstar are finishing up.

"The march to Tavnazia is this afternoon," Gamesage says kneeling at his gobbie bag, his back to Bearstar. She is standing and stretches her arms above her head, "I know. All we can do is follow them. We know the area and the caves better than most. We get as many out as possible and wait for the Tenshodo ships." Gamesage stands with a rag over his mouth. He has a second one wet with a purple liquid in his hands, "I'm not willing to take that risk."

"What you say? You were mumbling."

Before she can turn around Gamesage grabs her and puts the rag to her mouth and nose. She is out before she can struggle. "I said I'm not willing to take that risk," Gamesage says looking back into the room.

Bearstar is tied up in her underwear hidden in an armoire. He even took her hair-ties so her long hair flows freely. The rag is tied over her mouth with her nose free. The bottle is on a shelf over her head, its fumes leaking over her. "By the time you're found and awaken everything will be over. Goodbye sister." He casts Deodorize, Sneak and Invisible and leaves.

As dawn begins to peak over the horizon, he leaves the Mithra section of the barracks. Hearing Major Viki scream he turns around briefly, "Good. It's started." As the barracks stir at the commotion, he slips away.

"How could you!" screams Major Viki in Arenk's face, "How could you and your girls cast Sneak on my daughter!" "We have done no such thing!" one woman shouts back. Major Viki turns to her, "Don't lie to me! I know your scents!" "You've finally gone mad sister," shouts Arenk, "Mad for all too see!" "I thought she was dead! I THOUGHT SHE WAS DEAD!" Major Viki attacks her sister.

Claws and fangs bare as an all out barroom-style brawl ensues. Humes and Galkas run around into the Mithran section just in time to see the naked Mithras begin to assault each other. They jump in to separate the Mithras. The others stop quickly but Major Viki is uncontrollable. Two Humes try to subdue her. She claws the groin of one and sinks her fangs into the neck of the other. Blood squirts everywhere as he grabs at his neck. It takes a Galka to knock her cold, but not before she bites off his ear.

The door of the President's office opens and a soldier leads a Mithra into the room. "Sir! The Mithra Caithleann as you ordered." She rolls her eyes. "You pronounce her name Ka'ithle Anin, and thank you soldier," President Prien says. He waves him from the room. "My apologies Ka'ithle Anin. Please sit down."

Ka'ithle Anin sits down. "There's no need for the Chieftainess of Bastok to apologize to a lowly warrior like myself. I've given up on the other races speaking my name long ago." Next to her is Zelig's Commander, a Tarutaru Black Mage and Lord Narcisse. President Prien begins, "I've called you four commanders here because you are being assigned to an emergency mission to rescue Tavnazia. Your units are being mobilized as we speak and you are to relay the orders to them on your departure. San d'Oria as requested aid and the king himself as asked for your unit specifically Lord Narcisse. Here's the request form if you have any difficulties in accepting this mission." He hands Lord Narcisse an open letter with the royal seal pressed in wax still attached to one of the ends.

He reads it as the President continues, "As the letter says, the reason for the request is that intelligent reports say that the Orcs are transporting Behemoths in an attempt to breach the city walls." The Tarutaru yips in panic at the word "behemoths". Lord Narcisse sighs and shakes his head in disgust of the Tarutaru.

"My apologies sir… myself and my unit will be happy to serve." "Thank you Master Caster Lobais-Tobias, San d'Oria has also asked for aid from Windurst. I'm sure you will be joined by your kinsmen soon enough." The Taru nods. "Sir, what is a behemoth?" Ka'ithle Anin asks. Lord Narcisse puts his head in his hands and shakes his head, this time at the Mithra.

"How can I begin…" Prien says tapping his fingers on his desk. "They are giant beasts… capable of smashing an entire building under paw. They look like rabid wolves with the horns of a raging bull." Ka'ithle Anin gasps but not at the description. She also puts her face in her hands, "Star's nightmares…they're not nightmares are they Living Mother? Is she so near to your eternal bosom that she sees you thoughts or have you chosen her for something greater?" she thinks.

She leans back and takes a deep breath, "A Mithra warrior does not fear death. We will gladly shed our blood for your Tavnazia." President Prien stands, "I hope it does not come to that, but you have our eternal thanks. You all are dismissed except for you Ka'ithle Anin. We have something further to discuss."

After the others are escorted from his chambers, he sits back down. He opens a report on his desk, "This is about the incident this morning." She sighs, "Sir Male Chieftainess, may I speak my mind?" "You may," he says looking up from the papers. "Things have been tense between Major Viki and Arenk before we even left the Homeland, and many of the women have taken sides. I'm surprised things did not erupt sooner." "Have you taken a side in this?"

She shakes her head, "No sir, our laws are complex on this issue. Most that have taken sides do so out of emotional loyalty than any logical claims. " The despair in her voice moves President Prien into believing her sincerity. "How familiar are you with the legal system of your country?" "I come from a family of Sin Hunters." "Sin Hunters?" "Yes," she explains, "they are like your military police."

President Prien takes a paper from the file and hands it to her, "Arenk Sayma filed this in her testimony. It demands Major Viki's immediate removal and for her promotion to her rank. I'm not familiar with the terms but I believe she is quoting Mithran law." Ka'ithle Anin reads the document slowly, "Yes… Yes this is a Petition to Dishonor."

"Can you please explain the source of this fissure within the Copperheads?"

"To be blunt, it's tribal politics. Bearstar is the only daughter in her generation. The fight stems from the right to her custody. Before you ask, let me explain." President Prien nods, "Continue then."

"Unlike the other races, rights and titles pass only through the woman's lines. Male infanticide has been outlawed for centuries now, but it's not unheard of in the rural areas for a newborn male to die without investigation or emotion." His face turns to utter shock and dismay.

"The Sayma's have a long fissure in their family, though Viki is eldest born Arenk has been raised and favored to become their towns next chieftainess. When our unit was assembled, Viki was made Major under Rule of the First Born. It took a threat of execution to get her townsfolk to accept this and it puts her on the fast track to become Chieftainess in the eyes of the National Council."

"Why is Arenk favored over Major Viki?" "Our unit is comprised of different villages, but the warriors from her kin say that she was Determined to be of Demonic Influence by the Chieftainess, their mother, and their town counsel and was sentenced to be buried alive when she was Star's age, but the town's wise woman intervened and took her into the woods for purification. She was raised by her, then Arenk was Born Without Defect to her mother three years later."

President Prien puts his head in his hands. Ka'ithle Anin continues, "That's why Arenk is being so careful in applying Mithran law in her filing of a Petition to Dishonor. She only questions her sanity and not her allegiance to the Dark One, although the evidence is strongly to the contrary."

"What is this evidence?" "Major Viki has some type of power, a power not meant for this world." "It was my understanding that her training as a Pythoness was by your custom?" Ka'ithle Anin shakes her head, "No. This is something else. It's said the wise woman taught her to use her powers for good, but it doesn't change the fact she controls demons by the power of the Dark One."

"I'm not interested in rumors and hearsay," the President scowls, "What have you witnessed personally?" "Major Viki is very secretive, and gives unusual prayers on Earthday. A proper Mithra should be able to recite the blessings properly." He shakes his head disapprovingly, "Another?"

"While we were pulling into Port Windurst, the Yagudo had breached the defenses again. Major Viki took her bow, jumped over the side and began running over the surface of the water. Thinking we had reached shallow water some jumped overboard and plunged into the depths of the harbor, including myself. I had to be rescued because I cannot swim." "I can think of several logical explanations for that," Prien says shaking his head again, "Another."

"There have been several unusual instances concerning the Beastmen, but no one is conclusive. Just a pattern of behavior." "Proceed," says President Prien. Ka'ithle Anin can tell from the tone that he is beginning to think he is wasting his time.

"Major Viki appears to have some ability to control Beastmen. As children of the Dark One, this ability can only be because He has given her power over them that they must obey." President Prien sits up straighter in his chair. Ka'ithle Anin knows she has finally gotten his interest.

"She has proven herself as a powerful strategist in battle. She can predict what the enemy is doing even hours before hand. She usually screams out the enemy movements mid battle. The Tarutaru say it's almost as if she can read their minds." His enthusiasm fades. "And you take this metaphor as evidence?"

She nods, "Yes, Major Viki has also won the hearts of the Tarutaru in her interrogation skills. It began when she heard a story of an unusually short Yagudo captured wandering around the battlefield alone. They suspected it couldn't speak the common tongue. She asked to talk to it alone. She came back saying the buzzard was only a child looking for his father's body when he didn't return. She also identified its father as another prisoner. In spite the fact they both escaped shortly afterwards and are the only Yagudo to do so, the Taru hand over to her Yagudo that refuse to cooperate. She can make them talk but once returned they never speak again. Logic holds that if they do not speak our language then she must speak theirs. And with everything I have heard of the horrors of their world, that she can command them to speak when they would rather commit suicide if given the chance means she holds some sort of power over them. And then of course there is Star to consider."

"What does her daughter have to do with this?" "Until her birth, Major Viki had never carried a child to term. Her kinsfolk took it as a sign that the Living Mother has denied her seed as proof of her allegiance." "Then Star's birth should have proven her innocents in this matter." Ka'ithle Anin shakes her head, "No, story goes Star was stillborn. I wasn't 'til Major Viki was left alone with the corpse that she came to life. They say she summoned a demon to reanimate her body at that Star is a creature even worse than an undead."

"Then if Major Viki did create her daughter through dark magic than why would she create a frail child and not a healthy one?" "That logic holds…" she says glancing down. "But they would argue that the corrupt can only give birth to the corrupt. Star's illness and her personality only add to their certainty."

"Why is her personality suspect?" "Star seems a darling at first, but she's very selfish and willful. Her spindly appearance is a result of the poisoning. She was quite chubby and was always stealing food. Her hunger is seen as a symptom of the Major's allegiance if not the girl's. Her survival from the poisoning is also considered proof by some."

"Why? What happened?" Prein asks shocked. "Star first fell ill on the boat ride over. The rations she stole from were thrown overboard thinking they had gone bad. She was in a coma for three weeks. It wasn't 'til we landed that she was identified properly and treated for the venom in her blood." "That doesn't explain why this is proof?" "Although this war has proven otherwise, tradition holds one cannot kill an undead by poisoning," she answers.

President Prien hangs his head. "And after the incident with the Fomor in Mines, many have moved towards that position." He looks back up, "Because she displayed similar abilities to her mother?" Ka'ithle Anin nods.

He clinches the arms of his chair till his knuckles turn white, "Out of all the things I've ever heard, this holds about as much water as a sieve. Even if you hold the Major and her daughter are psychic, that's no reason for such a decision. Facts, even if they can be called facts, that hold to the innocence are ignored and ones that contradict each other are twisted to complement and reinforce one another. Seems nothing more than grasping at straws to lend credence to a preconceived conclusion. It's as valid as a ruling by San d'Oria's Sacred Tribunal, a bunch of superstitious nonsense."

"That's why Arenk is relying on you, especially now that Star has proven herself in her mother's image. If Major Viki's Determined to be of Demonic Influence ruling is overturned for a Declaration of Insanity, Star will live and have custody transferred to Arenk, if not then Star must die as well."

President Prien looks up, "Why?" "A diseased plant will only give diseased fruit. A sickly animal will only give birth to sickly animals. Mother Nature culls these beings and denies life to their seed. Her laws are absolute and without defect. A lightning bolt doesn't just destroy what it hits but also everything in its vicinity. Those that deny Her will bring only destruction to not only themselves but everyone surrounding them. The Harmony of Nature must be preserved unless the Dark One is to destroy the world."

"Your race…" begins President Prien, "would kill a child so coldly?" Ka'ithle Anin looks at the floor. "Even if I was so ordered…" she looks back up, "I could not take Major Viki's and Star's life. That is my defect I fear."

"I think I've heard enough," says President Prien, "you may go." "Please, I have yet to warn you of Arenk's true treachery," she pleads standing up, "She is a dangerous woman." "Then finish your statement then leave. I'm a busy man."

Ka'ithle Anin sits back down. "If Major Viki was to die in war it, would save her much effort. And Major Viki has almost died under mysterious circumstances on multiple occasions but one left no room for doubt." "Has any of these 'occasions' occurred in Bastok?" "Not to my knowledge. The last one for certain was the poisoning in Windurst."

"Then it wasn't food poisoning?" he asks surprised. She nods, "Yes young Star stole some of her mother's prepared rations and nearly died. Everyone had eaten the day's meals originating from the same container but Star was the only one to fall ill. The Tarus who treated her said there was no room for doubt it was deliberate. Did I say something that hinted otherwise? You're dialect is so strange. My apologies if I didn't speak correctly."

He puts his head in his hands again and moans in disgust. "But there is another you also must know." He looks up at her again. "The incident in San d'Oria… the one that triggered the massacre here… I witnessed it…and I believe it was a trap set for Major Viki but Bearstar of the Cobras fell into it instead."

The room falls into a long sustained silence.

Suddenly Ka'ithle Anin smiles and stands. "Male Chieftainess, may I ask a question?" He waves his hand signaling her to proceed. "The role of a Sin Tracker is not only as police as you understand it but also as executioner. Their job is to chase after and kill those deemed Sinners. Mithran law is absolute. If a Sin Tracker was to come to Bastok after Viki Sayma and little Bearstar, she would be treated the same as the Elvaan Knights were when they tried to bring their justice onto Bearstar of the Cobras would she not?" President slams his fists on his desk as he stands, "Absolutely! Murder is Murder here in Bastok! I would never allow one of these 'Sin Trackers' to commit such a crime in this nation!"

Ka'ithle Anin only bows smiling and leaves the room quickly on her own. President Prien sits back down with a thud. After staring at the ceiling for some time he suddenly jolts from his day dream with a start and grabs the Petition of Dishonor. After reading it a few times he looks up from the page. "That's it," he whispers.

Back in the Mithran section of the Barracks, Ka'ithle Anin is gathering quivers of arrows. "Why are you gathering my sister's arrows? It's forbidden to touch another's bow." Ka'ithle Anin turns around and sees Arenk staring down at her. "Major Viki will be thankful to see her belongings taken care of when she returns. We have been ordered to march this afternoon." "My sister drew the blood of three soldiers Ka'ithle. I doubt she will be joining us. The fact that I was the only one released is more proof enough."

Ka'ithle Anin stands and looks her in the eye, "Do not talk down to me Arenk. Until your petition is granted, we stand as equals." "How do you know of it?" she scowls. "The Male Chieftainess asked me to explain it to him after the briefing." "And what did you tell him?" she asks sternly. "Don't mar my honor," Ka'ithle Anin snaps back, "I am of the Sin Trackers. I explained fully and sternly the absolute judgment mandated by our laws." Arenk smiles.

A noisy murmur fills the hallway. They run to see and to Arenk's horror, Major Viki is walking down the hallway. "Isn't that my quiver?" she asks looking at Ka'ithle Anin. Arenk takes a step backwards moving out of the way as Major Viki comes forward. "Yes," Ka'ithle Anin hands it to her, "I was preparing your belongings for the march." She takes her quiver and smiles meekly, "Thank you, but I will not be marching with you."

Arenk feigns surprise but cannot hide the excitement in her voice, "But why sister?" Major Viki turns and glares at Arenk, "I've been released on what the Humes call bail. Star and myself are barred from leaving the city until things are resolved." "You lie sister. Under law, Star must be given to me and accompany the march." Major Viki hands Arenk an official letter. "This is the executive order President Prien issued naming you as temporary leader of the Copperheads."

Arenk opens and reads it. "As you can see…" Major Viki continues, "… President Prien has explicitly commanded that I retain full custody of my daughter and that she must remain within Bastok with me." Arenk face turns to rage as she reads the section mandating the custody of Star. She crushes the document and storms off.

Major Viki closes her eyes after Arenk is out of sight. "Ka'ithle Anin," she says opening them, "I have been told you spoke with President Prien while I was being detained." She looks at the ground, "Yes as third in command, I was summoned when you and Arenk were being held."

"I've also heard from the Humes and Tarus about the details of the march yet the warriors seem oblivious to a certain detail?" "I have no intention of disobeying my orders. I will inform Arenk and the others at the proper time." "After you have left Bastok and Star and I long behind? I don't know what your scheming Ka'it…" Ka'ithle Anin interrupts, "All I have done is answer the Male Chieftainess' questions. If you have disagreements with his decisions then lobby him. I have nothing to do with this." She storms off as well.

Major Viki smiles and mouths "thank you". Then noticing something wrong she looks down and shakes the quiver. Major Viki counts the arrows grouping them by ten as she goes, "Ten… two tens… four… five…" she mutters to herself. "Only ninety-eight?" she thinks.

Suddenly shouts come from the Army Proper section of the barracks. Major Viki and others run towards the Hume armory. As they near, shouts of "Medics!" and "Secure the area!" can be heard.

They round the corner and run into a wall of Galkas, "You can't come this way!" "What's happening?" asks one of the Mithras. "Sabotage. There's poison in the armory." "I'm a Healer, please let me through. I can help," Major Viki says. "Prove it," one demands. Major Viki casts Cure IV. The Galka grabs her by the arm and drags her forward forcefully, "Let this one through!" He then shoves her so hard she almost loses her balance.

Major Viki comes to the room and sees two unconscious Humes being dragged from the room. There is a thin purple mist flowing from the door way. The pullers soon drop to their knees coughing as well. Major Viki runs over to one. "The bars are not working…" coughs one before he loses consciousness. She examines him. To everyone's surprise she casts poison on him. He gasps awake. "What are you doing!" shouts a Hume clinching his fist tightly around her arm. "It's a sleeping potion! Now release me!" She wrestles her arm free and poisons herself. She runs into the room.

The fumes are heavy and the purple haze makes it difficult to see. Even with the poison she feels on the verge of fainting. "I should have cast Barsleepra too," she thinks putting her elbow over her mouth. Suddenly the crunching glass under her feet changes to something firm but squishy. She looks behind her at a pile of armor and shelving on the floor, knocked over in the mayhem. She holds her breath leaning deep into the mist.

Major Viki feels around expecting to find a hand. She wraps her fingers around it. Too thick to be a finger, too thin to be an arm, and even the bushiest of Hume men can't match the density of hair, which is also too soft and silky to belong to a male, it dangles limp like a rope in her hand. Her face turns to shock and she instinctively gasps. She falls forward to her knees coughing.

Everyone in the hallway turns to the door as loud cluttered bangs and crashes come from inside. Suddenly Major Viki comes dragging someone out by their elbow. She falls backwards and lands with a thud. There's a loud smack as the body of the victim hits the ground. It's a nearly naked Mithra face down on the floor, her long hair flowing every which way partially covering her face. Her hands are bound behind her back, shoulders twisted from being dragged and her legs are tried tightly at both the knees and ankles. Everyone rushes the two Mithras.

The Galka who threw her leans her forward by supporting her with his arm, "Mithra? Mithra? Are you well?" "Ze…ig" she coughs. "This one is dazed from the smoke!" he turns to the others.

It takes several moments of trying to lay the other Mithra flat on her back for the Humes to realize something is wrong with her arms. They turn her on her side. One Hume pulls a dagger, "This one has been bound! Look for others victims in the mist!"

The last thing Major Viki remembers is the ropes being cut off the Mithra's arms.

There's a frantic knock on the President's door. "Come in." The soldier finds President Prien writing a letter with a stack of files on his stack. "Where you able to find the missing report of the exorcism in North Gustaberg?" he asks not looking up. He suddenly crumples the letter and throws it behind his back. It bounces of the wall and lands in a pile next to an overflowing wastebasket. "Sir there's been a serious incident at the barracks," he half shouts out of breath.

Prien looks up shocked, "What? What's happened!" "Initial reports were of a possible sabotage, but know it seems another altercation of some sort concerning the Mithras." The president slams his fists on his desk, "I've had enough of this." He stands and points at the soldier. "Cancel all marching orders for the Mithras! Now! They will remain in the city until these situations are completely resolved!" "Yes Sir!"

"Good, now get out until you have more information!" The soldier leaves. Prien sits down with a plop. He looks around at the stacks of files, "For the courier's sake, I hope this doesn't add to the load he must take to Jeuno."

Major Viki opens her eyes. She looks around and finds herself alone in a small examining room. She sits up still slightly dizzy. The sheet over her falls away. The pull of gravity on her chest tells her she's naked without looking down. She slips her hand under the sheet and rubs her aching thigh. After a few rubs Major Viki snaps out of her haze. She pulls the sheet off her lap and sees her garter is missing.

The doorknob turns and she quickly pulls the sheet over her leg, hiding the tattoo. A familiar face pops in the door. "Oh you're awake!" the young doctor blushes and looks away, "I'm sorry Major."

"What did you see? What did you see!" she snaps angrily. The young doctor looks puzzled. Major Viki is sitting up, her left leg hanging over the side. Completely exposed, all she is covering with the sheet is her right leg, balled tightly in her fists, shoved in between her legs hiding her privates.

"I only just came in. I'm not the examiner. I've haven't witnessed… anything your covering," he pleads. "Where's the one who saw me?" she asks sternly. The young doctor swallows nervously, "He's with the other patient, your doctor friend." "Take me to her, NOW!" she demands. He instinctively raises his arms defensively, "Alright. Alright, let me locate your clothes."

A grey haired doctor is using a stethoscope on the unconscious Mithra. He turns around hearing a knock at the door. He quickly pulls the stethoscope from his ears and pulls the sheet back over her chest. He walks over and opens the door. He first catches a glimpse of the young man. "You! What are you doing back here!" he snaps.

"I ordered him," he hears a voice come from behind the door. The grey doctor walks into the hallway and closes the door partially to see behind it. "What are you doing out of bed?" "I'll be fine," Major Viki answers sternly glaring at him, "Take me to the other Mithra." "I'm sorry I cannot allow that," he turns to the young doctor, "And you should know that!" He points down the hall, "Now get back to the front."

He nods and leaves. The doctor turns back to Major Viki, "Now I need to take you back to your room." "I ordered you to let me see her," she demands. "Look, even if I would to allow for visitors, only immediate family members are allowed by law, do you understand that, BY LAW." "I am also a doctor," Major Viki glares, "And I can assure you I know more about my race than any Hume here." The doctor takes a deep breath, closes his eyes and hangs his head. After several protracted moments, he glances back and forth up and down the corridor. He jerks his head a few times towards the room, "Ok hurry." She follows him in.

She sees the woman she rescued laid out on the bed. Her hair his pulled over her head extending over the top of the pillow and folded over itself against the headboard. The doctor sees her run over to the patient as he shuts the door behind them.

She takes her hand. Her face turns to shock. Major Viki moves her hand up her lower arm then feels her forehead. She then puts her head on her chest. "You know these symptoms?" he asks walking over.

"What have you been doing to her?" she asks leaning up from listening to her heart. "We've removed several sleeping effects from her, but the mist from the potion is still lingering in her lungs. You can smell it on her breath…" Major Viki quickly leans over her mouth and sniffs. "… but her new symptoms started about an hour ago but faded quickly, but this is her first relapse and it's lasted longer than the last time." "Has there been any shaking?" she asks leaning back up. "There was a slight tremor in the left arm the first time but there has been no trembling this time, but her pulse is erratic. I've been a doctor for over forty years and I've never seen anything like this. What's happening?"

He sees the Major lovingly stroke the patients face brushing her hair aside. "It's a disease of the nerves," she says sorrowfully, "My baby has it as well." She turns away from her face and hangs here head, completely disappearing from the doctor's view below her hunched shoulders. He hears her gasps for air sounding like she is trying to choke back tears. A few moments later she leans back up, completely recovered.

"What is the treatment?" he asks. "Once the trembling reaches the heart… Prayer." She runs around, "Ice should have been applied long ago, but nothing can hurt now. Just bring buckets of water and cloth. I can freeze it myself."

Nearly forty-five minutes pass as he watches her place wrapped chunks of ice and frozen rags across her neck and forehead. He walks up and listens to her heart again with the stethoscope. "Her hearts completely calm now," he says taking it out of his ears, "Her palpitations are gone." He takes her hand to feel her pulse, "Her hands have warmed back to normal as well."

"She's breathing fully and evenly now too," Major Viki takes a rag and wipes her own face, "How much longer until the sleep wears off?" "I don't know," he says leaning over her face, "but the smell of the anesthesia is almost gone, so how ever long it takes for it to leave the blood stream."

He sits down on a chair, "Why would someone go to so much trouble? Why does someone want her alive so bad but still do this to her? Repose, Sleep II probably with elemental seal, Lullaby, whatever spell we ended up treating like Sheep Song, plus the potions. It doesn't make sense."

"I can't sense anything from her, she's completely out cold. Not even dreaming," Major Viki says sitting on the floor next to him. She puts her face in her hands. "She knows something…" she thinks, "She knows something and that person knows us, _everything_ about us. This is bad. If she was dead she could find me, but her soul imprisoned like this…" She sighs dejectedly.

The two watch silently for several minutes listening to her breathe. Suddenly there is a knock at the door. Major Viki stands and walks over to the corner. She nods and the doctor slowly opens the door and peeks out. He finds two Galkan soldiers. "Are you the attending physician in charge of the Mithra patients from the incident this morning?" one asks. "Yes I am the one in charge," he answers. "Then we need you to come with us to give testimony on your examinations." The doctor nods, "All right, let me tell my assistant then I'll be right along." He shuts the door and turns to Major Viki, "Did you hear that?" She nods and shoos him away with her right hand. He opens the door slightly and slips out. "I'm ready now," he says closing it gently. "This way then," the second Galka says. They escort him away.

Completely alone, Major Viki walks over to her and rubs her head, "Bearstar?" she whispers, "It's Viki, were finally alone now. Can you hear my voice? Can you make your way towards me?" She bites her lower lip when there is no response, just the steady sound of her breathing. Major Viki takes the chair and places it next to the bed. She takes Bearstar's left hand in hers and reaches over and takes her right hand with her right. She lays her head on her lower abdomen, careful not to impede her breathing. She begins to hum a traditional Mithran lullaby. "Why do I always think of my baby around you, hmm Bear? Even your heart's beat the same," she thinks as she continues to hum, saying a word or two every once in a while.

Time slowly passes and the spare words turn to spare sounds as Major Viki herself begins to drift off herself. Suddenly an unexpected tightening on her hands shocks her awake. Bearstar tightens her grip as she moans. She shifts her weight repositioning herself pulling her leg up before straightening it out again.

Major Viki jumps up and leans over Bearstar's face, "Bear? Bear? It's Viki. Can you hear me?" "Ma…" "Yes it's Major Viki," she says excited. "Mal…ma?" Bearstar struggles to whisper as she continues her labored attempts to toss. "Don't try to move Bear," Major Viki begs, "You've been poisoned. Please just stay calm, it's not completely out of you system yet." "Mommy?" Major Viki's ears droop along with her mouth at the word.

"I'm not your mother Bearstar…" she sighs. "The sword… Momma…" Her ears twitch back up, "What is it Bear?" She wipes the hair from her face. Tears start to fall as she struggles even more. Major Viki tries to keep her from moving, "Bearstar?" She puts both hands on either side of her head and puts her face to hers, their noses overlapping almost like lovers about to kiss. She closes her eyes.

A shadowy scene greets her. The image of a Mithra being decapitated by a sword coming out of the blackness, repeating over and over again, each time becoming more detailed then the last as the veil lifts a little more each time.

"Is that really how you mother died?" she asks half to herself opening them. She pulls her face away, and rubs her head lovingly, "You poor woman. You're having a nightmare." "Mommy…" Major Viki smirks, "It's ok baby, I'm right here," she lies taking her hand, "I'm right here." She smiles as she guessed right, Bearstar begins to relax more but her face still winces in pain. Major Viki sits back down and watches her. Major Viki can feel her becoming more lucid.

Suddenly she tries to roll again. "Bearstar you can't move…" she says standing up again. She watches her move her left hand under the sheet. She tugs on her right breast trying to move it more towards the center. "That's right…" she thinks, "You sleep wrapped up because it hurts when they move freely." "I'll find you're your clothes. Just give me a few minutes," she says.

Major Viki rummages through the different cabinets. She finds her bra, but nothing else. "Ok Bearstar," she says walking over, "I'm going to have to lean you up so I can put this on for your." She pulls back the sheet revealing everything down to her belly button.

Major Viki is so startled she tumbles backwards with a frightened yip. Hyperventilating and shaking horribly, she makes her way to her knees and slowly crawls over to the bed. She uses the chair and wobbles her way up. She takes another look at her chest. Major Viki plows her face into the soft mattress. Even with the muffling, she is weeping loudly. Gravity has pulled Bearstar's cleavage wide. Drawn proudly across it is a larger version of the small one on Major's Viki's thigh. "Oh no…" she thinks, "this is really bad." Major Viki fights her shaking hands and puts her bra on. It closes her cleavage, completely obscuring the tattoo. "Good… I knew you're not that stupid…" she thinks pulling the sheet back over Bearstar.

Major Viki alternates between lightly tapping her cheek and shaking her shoulders, "Bearstar, Bearstar…" she whispers forcefully, "You need to wake up! They know who you are. I can't teleport or warp you out like this. Please wake up! Please wake up!" Bearstar starts to wince and moan. "Come on sweetie, wake up wake up." She coughs, "Mal~mee." "I'm not your Mommy Bear, you need to wake up from your nightmare, please."

Bearstar lifts her arm and clinches Major Viki's biceps forcefully, "Maymay." Major Viki shakes her head, "It's not your mother, please wake up. Stop screaming in your mind."

Bearstar suddenly moves her hand over the Major's heart. "Mommy!" she screams perfectly without any slurs. Major Viki tumbles backwards and hits her knees nearly fainting. It is her turn to cough. She glances around the room completely disoriented. "You trying to suffocate me, Bearstar?" she says crawling her way back up to the bed, "You trying to overwhelm my will with your own? You could kill someone like that, or worse…" she wheezes.

She sits on the bed and takes a deep breath. She rubs her neck trying to shake the tingling in her nervous system. "Your mother's been dead twenty years, but your visions say it hasn't happened yet. What are you so desperate to tell me?" She glances over at Bearstar. Her face is turned towards the wall, pale as a ghost, white as a sheet. Her breath is soft. But worse still, Major Viki hears only a murmur from within, even softer than her auditory breath.

"Bearstar? Bearstar!" she turns around and gently moves her head back to vertical. Major Viki frantically taps her shoulder, "What did you do to your mind you stupid girl!" She puts her brow to hers, "A prayer? But not to Altana?" Bearstar starts to wince and moan, "…answer… me… answer… may…" "What are you trying to say? Tell me so I can speak it with you."

Shouting and the sounds of chaos come from the hallway. The door flies open with such force the handle buries itself it the wall and becomes trapped in the lattice work and plaster. "There are people in this one!" shouts a Galka soldier facing back down the hall. Soldiers charge into the room and grab Major Viki and begin dragging her out kicking and screaming the whole way. "What the bloody hell you think you're doing you sons of b..." They drag her around the corner.

A Hume in the room turns his attention to the woman in the bed. With a half startled, half panicked look, he feels for breath and listens for a heartbeat. "There's no moving this one," he says leaning back up. "What do you want us to do Sergeant?" asks a Galka in the room. He turns around and points at him, "Find out who this is and find the doctor in charge of her. We will need him either to move her safely or put him in lockdown with the rest of the corridor. The rest of you continue to secure the area for holding the terrorist." "Yes Sir!" They all salute and empty into opposite directions.

The Hume sergeant is the last from the room. "Please… Please…" He almost jumps out of his skin. He returns to the bed. "Please…my…lev… i…" "Good Goddess your conscious?" he looks her in the face. He feels her head, "You have a bad fever. Don't strain yourself we'll get you a doctor soon." He runs out of the room. "Please….answer…my…prayer…, … …wash…away…"


	12. Ch 11: The Surge of Saint Andraya's Gale

**Chapter 11: The Surge of the Saint Andraya's Gale**

Oblivious the happenings in Markets, the Blues have already packed to leave the city before the sun has even risen. They both carry their gobbie bags jammed to capacity. As they walk out of the residential district into Port, Firewing sleepily waddles behind them. He yawns curling his long tongue. He walks into the wall. Blueice leans down, "Awe poor baby still sleepy?"

Her face suddenly goes from nurturing mother to stone cold killer. Bluegollum pulls his katanas. "We know you're there, show yourself," Blueice says standing up. "Bluegollum and Blueice, I've been waiting for you." A ninja drops his buffs. "I remember you. You're one of the men from the boats," she says standing up. Bluegollum has a look of dread of his face, "What do you want?"

He hands Bluegollum a scroll then vanishes. He doesn't have to look at the seal to know that it is orders from the Tenshodo. "This isn't going to be good," he says. He opens it. "What does it say?" Blueice asks. "There is an emergency meeting being called, we are being ordered to attend for mission briefing."

Bluegollum looks down from the draw bridge into the harbor. The waves are starting to pick up. "We don't have time for this!" "But we don't have a choice do we?" she says, "Not attending will only hamper our efforts in this war."

In the dark depths of the warehouse district, the meeting begins. There is a large map pinned to the wall. "We have a possible tragedy on our hands men. The cargo ship carrying our next shipment has lost both its engines and is stranded in the middle of the Bastore Sea without power or rudder. It's only a matter of time before she is discovered by the Sahagins or sinks on her own. Now there is a strong front pushing through this afternoon 'til tomorrow so all we can do is pray to Altana that she survives long enough for our rescue mission to succeed. Once the storm clears tomorrow night we will launch three vessels…"

Blueice stands up from her table interrupting the meeting. "We need to leave this evening or not at all," Blueice dictates. "There's a front coming through tonight. It will kick up the harbor. We'll hit the cliffs." "If we don't leave tonight there's no outrunning the storm that's coming." "What storm? There is supposed to be blue skies for the next week after this front moves through," the Foreman says. "This front is unusually strong, it's going to sink far enough south to snatch a hurricane and pull…" The Foreman turns furious, "It's like I keep telling your husband…" "Look you," Blueice scowls, "I grew up on the Bastore Sea, I know her better than most."

"Don't give me that lass. I've been a part of the fleet here my whole life and I an't never seen you two before. And if the both of you don't have the sense about you I don't see how greenhorns like the likes of you ever got into Tenshodo. Get out!" As they are escorted to the door they can hear the meeting continue, "Now then, with Selbina no longer an option because of the Beastmen we'd have to head towards the Marquisate."

They are leaving the Warehouse District when a young dock worker runs up. "Good. I'm glad I was able to find you two." "We're kinda in a hurry actually," Bluegollum says nervously. "Please stay! I need you help. My little brother is on that ship." "What do you want us to do?" Blueice asks stepping forward. "But Icie! That Hur…" he starts to whisper but Blueice slaps him in the chest. She points her finger right under his nose, "You shove it!" she whispers back angrily. "You said you're a ship hand?" "Yes, I grew up on boats," she answers.

"If you can get a ship, I'll come with you. I'll even steal a linkpearl so we can locate the ship." Blueice smiles, "I think I know a captain that will help us."

"Angel can I barrow to you for a second," Bluegollum pulls his wife aside. Firewing still tired just curls up in the middle of the road. The nervous dock worker watches helplessly as they whisper.

"No. I can't let you do this." "You don't even know what I'm doing." "Yes I do. You're gonna get your family involved with this." "Storms are my family's lucky charms. We've been fishing in them deliberately for generations." "Not this storm! This is the Saint Andraya's Gale where talking about." "My grandfather was out at sea during the Saint Andrea's Gale and came back with a huge catch that made him a hero."

Bluegollum gets a frustrated look on his face knowing that he's losing the argument, "But your grandfather isn't Tenshodo! He's an honest man. I will not have innocent people suffering by getting involved with us." "Bastok isn't San d'Oria. Seamen are seamen, Tenshodo or not. My grandfather could care less and he raised me like that too. The sea holds no favorites. Everyone is equal in her eyes. Convincing him to take a few stowaways along with spare parts for an engine will be nothing." "That's not the point…" "Look. Let's let my grandfather decide. If he says no than that's it. If he says yes, then we need to do everything possible to make sure he doesn't get in trouble." "From who? The police or the Tenshodo!"

"When I was little I remember my grandfather getting hassled by both the police and by strangers. And it all started after this storm. Who's to say that that man didn't wander the docks and saw my grandfather's ship getting ready to leave and beg for help?" "Fine! Fine! See if you destroy yourself. I don't care anymore… I don't." He storms off walking down the steps leading down to the drawbridge.

Blueice walks back over to the dock hand, "Let's get going then, he should be at the dock." "Thank you! Thank you so much. I was ready to walk the dock and ask total strangers if I had to." "Go over to the docks, I'll be there in a second." The man runs off. After he disappears down the way, "See, told you so." She says seemingly to herself. A raspberry sound follows. "You can stick your tongue out all you want just come on." She walks off alone with Firewing stumbling behind.

They come to the dock and start searching for Blueice's family's boat. "Oh no there are soldiers here," the Tenshodo worker says, "We should come back latter." He begins to turn around. Blueice grabs him arm, "Don't worry. He's a friend."

Zelig is on the dock helping a boat prepare for launch. It is a family affair. The elderly family patriarch, three sons and a daughter, their spouses, and their grown children, all except the two youngest, a boy either eight or nine and a toddler girl sitting on crates munching on snacks watching.

The old man is talking to Zelig. "I can't believe you got permission to come visit us." "I don't, technically I'm AWOL, but this is more important." The old man looks terrified at the news. "Don't worry Jacob. You won't be getting in trouble." "Why did you come?" Jacob asks.

"I was watching the bay from top the seawall in Markets. It just doesn't look quite right to me." "I know what you mean uncle," Jason says, "There's just something wrong with the waves. They're not cresting right for the type of storm in the forecast."

"Bear-Bear!" Little Icie screams excitedly as she jumps down and starts running up the dock. "Gamesage!" Ceddie yells as he runs after her. "Don't run on the dock!" the adults all howler after them. They all look down the dock and see a Galka child talking to Ceddie and a Mithra girl hugging a teddy bear in one hand and holding Icie's hand in the other skipping happily back down towards the boat.

"How did you children get past the soldiers?" Zelig asks shocked by their presents. "That's my secret!" Star says sticking out her tongue. "We climbed…" Star hits Drogo in the arm. "Don't tell Zbigniew. It's a secret!" Star puts her hands on her hips and stomps her foot.

The family all stare at Zelig. "Zbigniew?" Jacob asks. He says it perfectly. "When did you become a parent Uncle?" Josey asks. "Momma, Dada, Grampy, this is Doggie and Bear-Bear," Icie says. "Daddy this is Gamesage and Star, Icie just calls them that," Ceddie translates. "Ah, so you're the two my kids are always talking about," Jason says jumping onto the dock. He leans down and hugs them both, "Welcome to the family."

As he turns his attention to the girls, Drogo walks up to Zelig, "How do you know their family Zbigniew?" he asks looking up. "Zelig I never thought you as the father type. What changed your mind about adoption?" Jacob asks.

Zelig pulls Drogo over and places him in front of him putting his hands on his shoulders proudly. "Jacob, this is Drogo." "Nice to meet you," he says extending his hand. Jacob raises his eyebrows as something about the handshake triggers an old memory in the back of his mind. He looks up at Zelig. Zelig smiles and nods.

Jacob kneels down to look Drogo in the face, "It's nice to meet you too. How have you been these past few years?" Drogo smiles modestly. He understands the source of the question. "I've been doing really good since my rebirth," he lies. Jacob is old enough to tell. "Are you sure?" Drogo nods, "Yes, I'm very happy now." He can tell he's telling the truth this time. Jacob stands up, "I'm glad to hear it."

As all the children start laughing and telling stories to show off to the adults, the oldest son, Michael, walks up behind Zelig and gives a firm grip on his shoulder, "You do realize what will happen if you don't raise him well, right Uncle Zelig?" "You guys aren't just going to hang me out to dry with this are you? I don't know what the heck I'm doing," he says turning around to face him. Michael smiles, "Of course not, we're family after all." He starts to laugh, "Now you know how the rest of us feel every day!" Zelig looks at the ground, shakes his head, and smiles. "Yeah, yeah I do," he chuckles. He looks up and spots Blueice and another man walking towards them.

The smell of food instantly rejuvenates Firewing and he charges forward knocking two workers off the dock into the water. He begins to devour the children's snacks. "Hey!" Ceddie yells. "Baby Lizie!" squeals Icie excitedly. She rushes to pet the wyvern. She reaches it before anyone can grab her. Firewing can't stop sniffing her. "Firewing no!" Blueice runs up.

Firewing looks up at his master then back at the girl then back up at Blueice with a very confused look in his begging eyes asking for an explanation. "You hungry?" Icie holds up her half eaten sandwich. Firewing snaps out of it and gobbles it down. "Dada I wanna Lizie!"

"That's not a lizard Icie that's a wyvern," Jacob says. Work comes to a complete stop as the entire family gawks at the sight. Bluesky leans down and grabs Icie by the shoulders, "I thought dragons were extinct." "They are almost extinct, at least here in Quon and Mindartia, but on other continents they are still very plentiful." "Oh are you one of those mercenaries from the other continents?" "No, I'm just lucky," Blueice says kneeling down to grab Firewing. "We are both rare breeds from Windurst," she says.

Blueice looks up at the Tenshodo dock worker. "These are the people I told you about." The dock worker walks forward, "Please, who is the captain of this vessel?" "I own this boat," Jacob say walking up to him. He extends his hand.

"These two are Tenshodo, three if that Ninja is here somewhere," Zelig says. Jacob pulls his hand back. Bluesky picks Icie up and pulls her back. She has a fit, "Momma what you doing!"

"Why are you here?" Michael has picked up a piece of wood and is taping it in the palm of his other hand. "Look where not here to cause any trouble, we need your help," the dock worker says pleading. "You will get no help from us, now leave!" Michael says.

"We need help rescuing a stranded ship. It is carrying war supplies for Bastok. We will lose all thirty-seven hands if the hurricane reaches them first." Everyone looks around.

"Where are you? Show yourself!" Michael yells. Bluegollum drops his buffs. He appears out of thin air on top of the roof to the pilot house. "Get off my ship!" he yells. "Zelig arrest them or do something!" yells Icie's mother still holding her kicking daughter.

Zelig and Jacob are staring at the choppy water. They are both paralyzed and pale. "Father, are you all right?" Josey asks. "What do you know about this hurricane that's coming?" Jacob says turning around. "Stand down!" orders Zelig, "Let's hear them out." "Uncle Zelig!" Icie's mother protests. "Bluesky, listen to me. You may not believe me but this woman and the Elvaan are good people, even if they are pirates." "He's right, we mean no harm. We have fought hard for this war. We would never betray own home," begs Blueice.

"I believe you child," Jacob says. "Now what about this hurricane you mentioned?" "Father there are never storms this far north," protests Michael. "If these people say there's a storm coming then there is a storm coming, as insane as this sounds. Please trust me if you can't trust them," Zelig begs. "Uncle," Daniel complains. "Please believe me," he continues, "Since when have you ever not trusted my judgment."

Jacob interrupts, "Boys listen to me, back when I was a teenager, this family summered in Windurst. I have seen these storms before in the Southlands. These waves, that look so different from anything we've ever seen here, now that I know about the storm, I recognize them Altana save us." He turns to Blueice, "Whatever information you have we will gladly take it." "Do you have a map?" "Yes we do in the cabin house," says Jacob.

Jacob, his three sons, Michael, Daniel, Jason and son-in-law David, the Blues, the dock worker, and Zelig gather in the cabin house. Blueice draws out on the map what has never happened before in the history of Bastok. "Here is the front. Now this front has some kick to it and it will sink down and enter the tropics. Here is where the storm is now. As it moves west it will collide with the front about here. Then it will ride the front north towards the Bastore Sea. But before it dissipates into Mindartia it will combine with this front's depression and reenergize. Then it will retrograde back across and the eye will come ashore north of Bastok, which was extremely lucky because it put us on the leeward side of the rotation. If Bastok had been on the windward side of the rotation the storm surge would have wiped Bastok off the map, but because we were on the leeward side the storm surge was only thirteen feet above the high tide mark."

"That's completely psychotic!" Michael says. Jacob looks over at Zelig. Zelig nods. Jacob looks down at the map, "Do you know the approximate dates for the landfalls?" Blueice nods. "The front will go through tonight, the storm will come across Bastok the first time in three days, then the full force came on the next night and battered Bastok 'til the next afternoon."

"What is with the past tense? You talk like this has all ready happened," Daniel says harshly. "Oopsie" she whispers. "And what is it that you want us to do for you exactly?" Jason asks civilly. Blueice smiles at her father, kind as ever. "We need to rescue a ship that's stranded about here," she points at the map. Now if we wait for this front to pass, you can see that we will be too late. Our only chance will be if we leave by tonight, then we can reach them and enter the Straits of Kuzotz before the storm makes its second land fall."

"How many hands are on board?" Jacob asks again. "Thirty-seven and…" starts Bluegollum. "I don't care about the cargo! How many hands?" "Thirty-seven, including my brother," the dock hand says. Jacob looks at him, "Do you know what is exactly wrong with the ship and if she can be fixed?" "Yes we do. We have linkshell communication." "And why isn't the Tenshodo handling this internally?" "They don't believe us about the storm turning north," Bluegollum says.

"How many stowaways are you planning on taking aboard my ship?" "Father you can't be serious?!" "Shut up Daniel!" He turns back to Bluegollum, "Now how many?" "Besides me and my wife, maybe three more at most." "Umm, we aren't really taking a woman with us? That's bad luck," the dock worker says.

Jacob laughs, "Ha Ha! You don't know who you're dealing with do you sonny?" He slaps the table. The dock worker looks around confused. "Jacob here is the son of the great Commodore Joseph Gutenberg," Zelig says proudly. "What? You're kidding me! I've heard of him. He was one of the greatest heroes of the Bastok Navy. But I heard he retired quietly and disappeared." "That's only because the uppers didn't want to go though the embarrassment of a court-marshal over me!" He's still laughing.

"Why would having a child out of wed-lock be a court-marshal offence? Wouldn't the government simply cover it up like with everyone else?" "Because Joseph wasn't his real name. My mother's real name was Blueice and she went from cabin boy to Commodore without ever being caught! Never knew who my father was. Momma said none of them was even worth the effort to look at!"

Everyone in the room but the dock worker starts to laugh, even Bluegollum can't help himself. The dock worker just stands there in total shock. Jacob eventually takes out his pocket watch, "We shove off in four hours. Be ready by then because we an't waiting on you hoodlums." The dock worker salutes, "Yes sir! Thank you sir!" "Good, now get off my boat! And everyone else get back to work!"

"Father you can't be serious?" Daniel protests. "Yes I am, and I'm captaining this voyage." "But Jacob your too old!" Zelig says. "Look Zelig, under normal circumstances I'd have you captain this trip. But since you have been drafted, I'm the only one here who has ever survived one of those monsters. If we have any chance to rescue these men, then I have to be the one." "But father these men are Tenshodo!" Michael protests again.

"A sailor is a sailor son, no matter what flag they fly." He walks over to confront his boy. "If you found a man floating would you ask who he was before you pull him up out of the water, or worse would you throw him back overboard if you didn't like his answer?" Michael looks at the floor. He knows his father's point. Growing up a bastard child no one ever cared for, a life is a life to him. He will never allow anyone to suffer as he has in his many years.

"Good," says Jacob, "You should be ashamed of yourself!" He turns to his other children, "And that goes for the rest of you too!" Jacob walks to the door, "Well don't just stand there waiting for your feet to get dry rot, all hands on deck!" They all step outside. Drogo is lying on his stomach on the deck next to a pile of vomit. Star is lying on her back looking at the sky. "Drogo! Star!"

Back on the dock, Drogo is hanging his head over the side. He throws up again. "Ugh, I'm never getting on a boat again." Star is back on her feet. "Wee! That was fun!" She starts to spin, "That was just like when you go round and round and round and round and round 'til you can't walk no more then you fall down." She jumps up then deliberately lands on her butt. She leans back and looks up at the sky. "Ooh! Look at the funny clouds!" she says gleefully pointing up.

Suddenly her face lights up as an idea pops in her little mind, "Hey if we where on a beach or in snow I could make angels!" she starts waving her arms and legs like if she was making one. "Angels!" Icie lays down and starts waving her arms and legs too. They both giggle. Drogo pulls his head up from over the water and lays his head on the dock looking over at them, "Girls are weird."

Jacob starts to laugh, "Some things never change do they!" He taps Zelig on the shoulder and calls him aside.

"You better take care of him, Zelig. Since I won't be here much longer." "You shouldn't talk like that Jacob. You still have a long life in front of you." "Zelig… I'm no Galka. I'm already ninety-eight. I may drop dead any minute." He looks over at Drogo, "Thank you… thank you for brining him back to us." "I'm sorry it took me so long. I just… I…I just couldn't…" Jacob puts his hand on Zelig shoulder and smiles lovingly. "It's alright. He's here now. That's all that matters."

Zelig points at Icie, "You have your little granddaughter to thank really. If she hadn't caused all that commotion all those months ago, I would have never had the strength to walk up to him." Jacob laughs, "I know, she is so much like Mother it makes me wonder if Humes are really capable of reincarnation." Jacob looks around nervously, but there is no one nearby. He turns to Zelig and speaks softly, "Do you think they will ever get married again like last time?"

Zelig, scared at the lapse in judgment, looks around as well. But they are alone. "I doubt that, she'll probable head out to sea and find some handsome rouge to bring home to freak all of us out with her indiscretion." "True, for all I know my father was a pirate. I wouldn't put it past Mom." He looks back at Drogo, "It was so kind of him, humoring Momma on her death bed and marrying her like that."

"Oh I ran into Friar Ermie again, he's back in Bastok." "Really? It's been ages." "Yep he's here. And he prefers his full name now that he's a full fledge priest. He says it's more dignified." Jacob queries his old friend, "Friar Ermie? Dignified?" "Yep, hard to believe but completely dignified," Zelig says with a straight face.

Jacob shakes his head, "Zelig… don't quit your day job. You'd never survive the gambling tables!" he laughs. Zelig smiles, "Yeah I lied. He hasn't changed a bit." Jacob takes his hat off and rubs his thick hair. He puts his hands on his hips and shakes his head. Jacob looks back up and puts his hat back on. His smile devours his numerous laugh lines.

"Friar Ermie… Oh my Goddess," he chuckles, "He hasn't even written…" His face turns slightly more serious, only slightly, "Zelig you didn't just spoil a big surprise did you?" "Originally that was his intent, but with a unit of Temple Knights here in Bastok he has been forced to service them. He hasn't been able to find any free time. But even if he did…" Jacob cuts him off, "He's a good man. He'll find us when it's safe."

Zelig looks down at the ground and chuckles, "Good thing he's here though if things get any more crazy. The hell if we could find someone else willing to do a ceremony." Jacob face is consumed by a shocked smile. He'd be laughing but no sound is coming out.

It's for the best.

"Zelig," he finally whispers, "You're with a woman?" "No, she's the one chasing me believe it or not. She won't take no for an answer." "But you're actually entertaining the thought? I thought you were too much of a traditionalist to even think about it?" "I could never get why he risked everything for her. I was very much against it as you know… if word got out we'd all be dead. But with her around, I think I'm getting it."

"So who is the Lilith that is corrupting the pristine Galkan mind with heathen ways?" Zelig points at Star, "Its Star's mother, her name is Viki." Jacob shakes his head looking at the ground. His is still in total shock and disbelief. "From everything I've heard, it would take a Mithra to move a mountain."

Zelig hugs the air and claws it with his fingers in disbelief, "I keep trying to rationalize things. I mean beyond just the morality of it. She's going to live in Windurst after the war, and I'm coming back to the boat." "Well that's easy enough to fix." Zelig turns glaring at his stepbrother. He points his finger at him. "Don't even say it. Don't even say we can fish in the Southern Ocean."

Jacob pleads with his hands, "Look it's not my idea, blame Jason. He's been adamant about spending a trial season in Windurst ever since the kids began bringing stories home about the sea being so full of fish that you can walk across the water without getting your feet wet." "That's just an old tribal legend. Viki explained it to me." Jacob smiles nervously. He knows he's about to get the third degree.

"Zelig, lets be rational here please. Now, I had no idea about your current difficulties, but with the new fleet out there with those nets there's just no more room anymore for little boats like ours. We are one of the last honest family boats left. Everyone else has either gone to work for one the rich companies, left the sea completely, or worse still turned to the Tenshodo. If we are going to survive, we can't stay here any longer. Windurst is our only hope to stay together as a family."

Zelig turns and stares at Drogo who is now stable enough to lean up against some crates. Ceddie is laughing at him until Star gets in his face and lets him have it. Drogo starts to laugh vengefully as Ceddie starts to back up in terror.

Zelig is thinking over what the adult Gamesage told him all those long months ago. "You alright Zelig? You don't look well," Jacob asks concerned. Zelig smiles meekly, "Jacob, if anything happens to me, I want you to take Drogo with you to Windurst. He needs people who will love him and take care of him. And besides, Viki and Bearstar will be there as well."

"Zelig don't talk like that, you'll survive this. We've won at Jeuno, and we are on the offensive now for the first time. The momentum is with us. This nightmare will be all over soon." "All the same, I want Drogo raised in Windurst. Whether it is with me or without me is not up to me to decide." "Zelig you surprise me, why?" Zelig turns to Jacob, "Destiny has a funny way of choosing you instead of you choosing your own fate." "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Zelig chuckles. "I wonder if this is how Drogo felt," he thinks. Zelig pinches the bridge of his nose. "Zelig?" "Drogo deserves better than Bastok right now. He has always been open with outsiders. That is the one thing that has been constant in all his lives, but as things are right now he might lose who he is. I can't let that happen. He has to grow up to become the person he needs to be, for all of us." "What do you mean?"

"We both know who he was last time, but three hundred years ago he was a crusader for citizenship. He was the one credited with giving us the right to vote. We need that man again… if he stays here that won't happen." "You've always been so strong about you're Galkan blood. Even if we are family, why would you corrupt him so thoroughly by having him raised by Humes in a foreign country?" "Blood may divide us, but love is universal. He needs to learn that before his Galkan blood poisons him, because that is what it has become recently, a deadly poison that rots the soul. But even if he does instinctively cling to who he really is, there is another danger here, one people like us face every day," he grabs Jacob firmly by both shoulders, "Please promise me, if anything happens to me, and I mean anything, take the children and flee the country. Let my heart beat its last alone and let me rot where I lay, don't worry about me and just go please." Jacob understands and nods quietly. "Thank you Jacob," Zelig's eyes tear up as he smiles.

"Private Zelig!" A group of soldiers are screaming his name as they walk down the causeway above the docks. Zelig grimaces in terror. "You are so in trouble," Jacob says shaking his head bug-eyed. He can see about twenty or so soldiers making their way towards them. "There he is!" points one of the Humes. Zelig turns around. "Captain!" Zelig says saluting. "So this is where you have been! We have been searching for you all morning! We have new marching orders. Come with us immediately!" "Yes sir!"

The Humes surround him in a tight circle as they escort their wayward comrade back to the barracks. Zelig looks over and sees Star standing too close to the edge. "Bearstar get away from the edge!" He charges through his guards knocking some to the ground running to grab her.

As he drags her from the edge, the others come after him with weapons drawn. Seeing this, the whole family, thirty-two strong, charge after the soldiers. All Zelig can do is scream "Stop it!" and "Calm down" as he tries to break up the ensuing fight. The soldiers are caught completely off guard as fists fly and women jump on their backs biting and clawing. The scuffle breaks up quickly though with the only injuries to the soldiers' pride.

"Why did you attack us?" the captain demands. "Zelig is our crewmate! Why wouldn't we defend him!" yells one of the grown grandchildren. Cheers, clapping and cries of "That's right!" come from the dock. "That's no excuse!" the captain says. As he is saying this one of the soldiers taps him on the shoulder. "What?" he says angrily turning around. All the soldier can do is point up at the causeway. As the captain looks around, he sees that the commotion as caught the attention of the rest of the harbor.

There is a crowd of maybe a hundred people, many armed with clubs and knives, gathered around them. The death stares they are giving them tell the captain they are surrounded by a hostile mob. Zelig walks forward to address the crowd, arms raised begging, "Everyone please! It's alright! I'm AWOL at the moment! These soldiers came to fetch me! Please calm down everyone!"

Jacob takes a medallion from underneath is shirt and puts it in his hand. "Zelig's right! Everyone just calm down!" Jacob yells towards the captain and holds the medallion in his face.

"Do you know what this is? Or are you too low in the food chain to recognize this?" "That's a Metal of Altana! Those things can only be given by the president himself and are never given out!" one of the soldiers says in total shock. Jacob smiles as he sees a look of fear grip the captain's face.

Jacob takes the metal and puts it back on. "Only someone who has never been on the sea can ask such a silly question. In the eyes of Poseidon there is no such thing as race, creed, class, or country. All life carries the same worth to him, which is absolutely nothing. We are all family here. We live and die together at his whim, and have been doing so generation after generation since before Bastok became a country. Those bonds can never be broken. You should learn to be more careful here at the water's edge."

The captain turns to Zelig, "Private why did to leave formation?" "Bearstar come over here!" Zelig howlers over the crowd. The captain has a shocked look on his face as a little Mithra holding a teddy bear pushes her way though the legs of the crowd. Drogo follows her. Zelig hold the little girl tight to him, "This little girl has a fainting disease. If she falls in the water, she will die." "What disease does she have?" Jacob asks scared. "She has epilepsy sir," says Drogo, "It's the falling illness." Jacob looks at the captain, "See, Zelig was acting to protect this child. He has done nothing wrong." The captain looks down at Star, "Is this true child?" "Yep! I'm gonna die and meet the Goddess!" she says excitedly with an innocent smile.

One of the soldiers recognizes her, "Captain! This is the child from the birthday party a few months ago." "You were at my party?!" Star says excitedly. She holds up her teddy, "Did you see my Teddy? I got a Teddy for my birthday!" Her cuteness is too much to bear. The captain cracks a smile. He looks up at Zelig trying desperately to look stern, "We have wasted too much time here. Come Zelig."

He turns to the crowd, "I am letting all of you off with a warning! Now return to your business and disperse!" Much of the crowd starts to laugh and they walk away. Zelig waves goodbye to everyone and leaves with his unit.

Bluesky comes up to Drogo and Star with one of her own children in each hand, "Tell you kids what? Why don't we all go to our house and play there." "Really Mamma!" squeals Icie excitedly. "That be great!" Ceddie says, "I can show you all my toys and books." Star claps excitedly, "Bookies! I love Bookies!" "Hey can we go to where I'm staying so I can get some of my books too?" Drogo asks. Star grimaces and shivers in disgust, "Yucky! I don't like your stuff it's smelly." "That's not very nice child," Bluesky says. "But it's true!" whines Star.

"That's just because I found them at the dump…" "What were you doing at the dump?" Bluesky asks shocked. Drogo forms his fists eagerly, "Oh you've never been to the dump? I should take you there sometime." He holds his arms out proudly and starts to brag, "You can find more things than you could ever dream of there! Besides all the delicious food there's…" Bluesky screams in terror and hugs Drogo, rocking him back and forth, kissing him over and over again, "Oh my baby! Oh my baby!" Drogo struggles, "Hey what are you doing? Let me go!"

Bluesky lets go, but not out of the request. She starts licking her sleeve frantically. "Momma what doing?" Icie asks confused. Drogo looks at the ground. He whimpers and sniffles. "Oh baby I didn't mean it like that," she pets him behind his ear. "Don't worry this is a simple fix."

It takes three draws of fresh water to scrub Drogo clean. Beyond the shock of all the simple questions about things that Hume infants take for granted, she takes comfort in his unbridled joyous obsessive-compulsion to squeak the rubber ducky to the point of insanity for most adults.

The dozen bell chimes wafting over from Markets signal the onset of the afternoon. The three pirates have left the docks and are standing near the remains of the water wheels to the drawbridge. "Four hours is more than enough time to get this done," says the dock worker, "This will be a cake walk."

Bluegollum crosses his arms and glares at him. "You've never been part of operations have you?" he scowls. The worker's posture goes from relaxed carefree to nervous surprise, "What?... Why?"

Bluegollum raises one of his hands and begins counting on his fingers, "One. In order to avoid interference, we must acquire the materials at the very last second. Two. We must identify recruits and scout the locations of targets without detection. Three. We must establish behavioral patterns of the targets and map out entrance and exit strategies. Four. This isn't amateur hour here. We are going against fellow Tenshodo. Our targets are just as highly trained as at least two of us are." He finishes the sentence with a touch of sarcasm in his voice. "And most importantly, Five. Getting away with this. Even if we pull this off and escape with the Saint Andraya's Gale at our backs, eventually the boat will return to Port. Even if it is years later, if an operative is identified at any point the mission is a failure. We must do this cleanly, especially now that we have civilians involved. Their safety and anonymity is paramount."

The poor dock hand turns green around the gills as the enormity of the task ahead hits him as a ton of bricks. Blueice puts her hands on her hips, "Sounds to me like you've already come up with a plan. And you didn't want to do this," she mocks. He sticks out his tongue. "All I've done is conduct a rudimentary evaluation of the situation." "But still, I know you. You're the only person ever to draw against my cousin. You're thinking six moves ahead on the chess board." He sighs knowing he's been caught. "You two focus on finding men and the supplies. I'll focus on procuring the Master Shell."

The dock hand stutters, "Da…Da Ma... Ma… Master Shell?" He puts his hands on his head in disbelief clinching his hair, "The Master Shell? Why in Neptune's name are you thinking about stealing the Master Shell?" He lowers his hands and pleads, "Why can we just take a simple pearl? It would be so much easier and wouldn't cause such a mess."

"Because we need total control over communications," Bluegollum lectures angrily. "Otherwise we can be identified and tracked." "But But But…" he mumbles, "The Boss is guarded by Sannin, the best ninja in the Tenshodo. You'd have to have the power of a god to pull this off." "Or at least be a fellow Sannin," says Bluegollum. "You… You're a…a Sannin?" he says shocked. "We both are," boasts Blueice hugging her husband's arm and laying her head on his shoulder acting cute. Bluegollum just rolls his eyes.

The poor dock hand takes a step back but is trembling so hard he falls backwards on his behind. Bluegollum shakes his head in disgust, "Honey, make sure he doesn't get himself killed. I'm going to go light a candle before we leave." "Oh darling wait," Blueice says taking a gold chain from around her neck. "What is…" he begins. He turns around just fast enough to catch the chain before it hits him in the face. He examines the pendent. "Where did you get this?" he says noticeably shaken.

"Your mother gave it to me when I told her where we were going." He looks up at her startled, "You told Momma about this? All this?" "Yep," she walks over and pats him on the back, "and she's says if you kill your father, you'll end up as his replacement in a Behemoth's bowels."

She leaves her husband with the imagery in his mind written all over his face and kicks one of the dock worker's legs. "All right, breaks over. Get up." As they walk away, he looks at Blueice confused, "Your husband… is lighting a candle?" "Yes what of it?" "He's an atheist from what I hear. Many of the Elvaans I work with would love anything more to stab him."

She shakes his head, "No, he's anything but an atheist. He worships in his own way. Saint Andraya's Day is the only day you will ever catch him lighting a candle though." "Saint Andraya? Didn't I hear you before mentioning something?" "Yes. It's the name of the storm we're sailing in to. It's Elvaan tradition to name storms after the holy days they fall on."

He shakes his head, "I've never seen an Elvaan honor anyone by that name before." "That's because the monastery she came from fell on the wrong side of San d'Oria's Civil War." She glares at him, "Beyond that, I'd stay out of things if I were you." "Yes Ma'am…" he mutters.

Father Ermenegilde is packing the finished charms into bags. At the head of the chapel an Elvaan in drab civilian cloths with a black ponytail and beard passing back and forth nervously, glancing in at the Father every few steps, debating whether to enter. "I know your there my child," Father Ermenegilde says not turning around, "you may come in." The Elvaan awkwardly hurries in. He lights a candle and takes a talisman from around his neck and encircles it. He kneels to pray. Father Ermenegilde glances up quickly at the altar then returns to his work.

Suddenly he does a double take and studies the talisman more closely. He turns to the Elvaan, "Young man do you know what you kneel to!" he says startled. "It's a talisman of Saint Andraya. I know the story of the witch hunts after she was declared a heretic and her relics destroyed, including the exhumation and burning of her body." "I understand your hesitation now my child."

The Elvaan reaches under his jacket and pulls a dagger. "You wish to report me?" he says placing it in front of him in plan view. Father Ermenegilde stares at the dagger. "May I ask your name child?" he asks frightened. "I am called Bluegollum. Beyond that it is none of your concern." "I see. You're one of Bastok's many scallywags."

Father Ermenegilde keeping his hands visible slowly stands and lights a second candle off of Bluegollum's. Then he lowers his hood showing is balding head and removes a talisman from around his neck. He places it around the candle mimicking the arrangement next to it.

Bluegollum remains emotionless but Father Ermenegilde sees the stress lift from his shoulders like an evil spirit at the sight of the twin St. Andraya medallion, right down to the small nick on the right side. "I'm a descendant… of a woman Mother Andraya was murdered trying to protect I mean."

"The talisman was a gift to my mother from my wife," begins Bluegollum, "We fled my father when I was young. She thought the patron saint of battered women would help her because she was nearly dead when we first met. She's still alive six years later and has a long life ahead." "I'm glad to hear it," says Father Ermenegilde, "Bless your mother." Bluegollum stands and takes his talisman and puts it back around his neck, "Don't worry Father, we won't have to hide much longer."

"What do you mean?" he asks watching him stand. "There's a storm churning in the Southern Ocean. It will come ashore on St. Andraya's Day. Even if the Temple Knights slaughter the entire population of Southern Quon, they will never erase the memory of the 'St. Andraya's Gale' or the nun it was named after."

The sun is no longer visible and the winds have picked up. Josey has to hang on to her bonnet to keep it from blowing away. David and their nephew, Nathan, are with her. "Green clouds are a bad thing right?" Nathan asks.

"Looks like the front is moving in faster than they predicted," David says, "We may have to leave sooner than two and a half hours, more like one and change." "But about those pirates Uncle Zelig knows?"

"If they are true sailors, then they will realize this too," Josey interrupts. A gust of wind comes from a different direction. The three stop in there tracks and listen to the new sounds reaching their ears. Josey and David glance at each other then take off running. "Hey wait up!" Nathan runs after them.

They come to the Jacob's house, but they don't go in. The old couple hides and peeks in an open window. Josey puts her hand over her mouth and gasps quietly. Nathan glances back and forth between the window and his elderly relatives perplexed by their reaction. Inside is a joyous scene. Star is banging cooking pots with wooden spoons, and Bluesky and her children are holding hands and dancing in a circle.

But the real star of the show, and the sounds that they heard, is Drogo. He is jamming away on Ceddie's toy trumpet. "Wow, Uncle even taught him how to put his hand in the bell." Josey and David try to shush him but it's too late. Star twitches her left ear and rotates it backwards. She stands up abruptly and walks to the window. Everyone stops and follows her. She stops at the window. The three adults and the little girl stare at each other for a few moments. "Hello," Star finally says.

David and Josey are sitting in chairs next to each other looking at the ground while Nathan is standing next to them. "Why were you stalking at the windows like hoodlums?" Bluesky grills them. Josey blushes.

While they have a "discussion", Nathan is talking to the children, "Gamesage, even with that being a toy trumpet, that was professional work. Uncle Zelig has really taught you well." Drogo shakes his head, "No he's never taught me to play." "Really?" he says surprised, "Wow you must have been a Bard in your past life or something," he jokes. David slaps him hard in the arm. "Ouch! Hey what was that for!" David points at him, "You shut it!" he whispers sternly.

"It's ok I know who I was," Drogo says looking at David. He turns back to Nathan, "No I wasn't a Bard." "Is Zbigniew a Bard?" Star claps her hands excitedly at the thought. "He's not classically trained so technically no, but he plays a music style his Zbigniew was famous for in the taverns." "Was his Zbigniew a Bard?" asks Drogo.

"He was actually a soldier here in Port but he was famous for his dunk antics in the taverns. Singing, dancing, music, he was an icon. I hear one time right after he first came here, a boat came in and the men had no idea what had been happening, so they were completely surprised that night when they went out drinking and first saw him. Part way through the night, he approached one of the new boat hands dancing with his girl and asked to cut in. After his girl talked him into it, he let got and she raised her arms to be led, but instead he grabbed him and swung him around like a girl to the claps and cheers of everyone. He even dipped him."

"I know," David chuckles, "I don't think grandpa ever recovered." He then sighs, "When he left for his Journey it ripped the soul right out of the docks."

Nathan begins to lift a string from around his neck. But suddenly, Josey puts her face in her hands and begins to cry uncontrollably. Everyone tries to calm her but it becomes apparent almost instantly that she's beyond consoling. "Alright, out you four. Go play outside," Nathan shoos the protesting children out the door and slams it shut. Ceddie tries turning the handle. He repositions his hands and tries again. He groans a few times then kicks the door. "He locked it!" he fumes.

Icie feels a cold prick on her nose. She looks up. "Wa-wa drop drop!" she says pointing. Drogo holds his hands out. "Oh no! It's starting to sprinkle. The storms almost here! What are we gonna do?"

Ceddie puts his hand under his chin thinking. "I know!" he snaps his fingers, "Lets go over to Billy's. His Momma will let us in for sure." They turn to leave. "You guys go ahead. I'm gonna stay here," says Star sitting down. "What! Why? You're gonna get wet," Ceddie asks. "I don't care I'm gonna stay right here!" she crosses her arms and turns her nose up. Drogo turns to Ceddie, "You two go ahead. I'll be along with Star soon." He nod, takes his sister's hand and runs into the wind.

He turns around. "Star what do you think you are doing? You can't do anything from out here. You're going to get wet. Or are you using your other ears to spy on them? That's not nice. They shoved us out here for a reason."

She stands up, "Who said anything about getting wet." She runs around the house. "Come on," she peaks around the corner waving him over. He walks over to her and sees her looking into a window. He peeks in. "We're not even on the right side of the house. We can't see a thing." "That's the point. They can't see us either."

Star reaches under her skirt and pulls out a green coil. "Where did you hide…" Drogo sees Star insert the tip of the green rope-like thing in between the fixed and sliding window panels. "What are you doing?" He looks in to see.

The green "rope" has splintered and sent out several feelers, spreading like the vines of a Morning Glory. Star twitches the stem in her hand. The feelers react instantly and move upwards. One finds the window latch and curls around it. The others soon follow. "Got it," Star whispers excitedly. She turns the stem and the feelers move the latch. Then the feelers retract and Star removes the green "rope" and puts it back under her skirt. She then carefully puts weight on the window and pushes upwards. The lower panel squeaks open slowly. She ducks down at the noise then peeks back in. When she sees no one investigating the noise she slides her fingers underneath and opens it.

She crawls stealthily inside and waves Drogo to come in. She slithers like a stalking lioness in the savanna grasses and positions herself to the left side of the archway into the main room. She puts her finger to her mouth and quietly shushes her teddy. Everyone is surrounding Josey as she continues to cry. "How could he… How could he leave us like that?"

Star's ears twitch behind her as Drogo succumbs to a Galka's lack of agility and tumbles in with a thud. "What was that noise?" everyone says at once, all but Josey, who only stops her sobbing and looks up from her palms. "She did it!" they hear from the other room. "She did it! She did it! She did it! I wanted to go to Billy's!"

Drogo and Star are lined up against the wall. Drogo is looking at the ground blushing horribly while Star has her back to him arms crossed. "I'm never trusting you again. Never, never, never, never," she fumes.

Bluesky comes in from the other room and sits down, "I can't believe that window has been unlocked this whole time." David studies Drogo's face as she says it. He stands up, "All right young lady, if Drogo says you did it. Let's see what you have." Star tries to run. After playing ring around the furniture, Nathan grabs her and carries her under arm kicking and clawing. David pats her down.

Star is sitting on the ground glaring bitterly at the adults. Josey is still sitting sniffling softly while Bluesky and the men stare at the table. On it is a small bag, normally tied around a leg but Star is small enough it easily fits around her waste. Its contents are scattered about. Two smaller bags are full of funny looking socks and folds of cloth. There are also three coils of green rope. "This almost looks like a plant," Nathan says picking one up.

As he holds it near his face, suddenly it uncurls, one end wrapping around his arm like a snake and the other sending out dozens of wiggly feelers. "Ah! It's trying to eat my face!" David draws his knife. Star dashes over, "That's mine!" She clobbers Nathan in the groin. He tumbles and she grabs the vine.

"What is that thing?" Bluesky asks startled. "It's just a living key," Star scolds with her hands on her hips. David sheaves his knife, "A key? Then you used that thing to open the window I take it." Star nods. "Were did you get these things?" Bluesky asks still shaken. "Momma gave them to me so if I get caught by the Beastmen I can get away."

"Did she also teach how to punch?" Nathan squeaks still on the floor. "Oh get up," lectures David, "That spindly little girl can't possibly hit that hard." "Hey!" Star shouts pointing, "I'm not spindly! I have lots of big!" "She's right," adds Drogo, "She's put on a lot of weight since we first met." He glances back at the ground, "But I though she had a lot more…" he whimpers.

Star twists the stem and the Gordian Knot of feelers untangles. Suddenly there's a clink on the stones and something rolls over and hits his left foot. Drogo leans down and picks it up. It's a mythril ring, with numbers and the name Blueice engraved on the inside. "What's that?" asks Star. "Looks like a ring." David seeing it grabs it from the children.

"Where did you get this?" David interrogates Nathan holding it in his face. "Gr… Grampa gave it to me be… because I've chickened out a few times." "Nathan you wanna propose? That's wonderful," Bluesky says. "It would be wonderful if I could get the stupid words to come out of my mouth," Nathan sighs. "Propose? Propose what?" asks Star. "Nathan wants to marry someone Star," Drogo explains turning to her.

She turns to Nathan clapping excitedly, "You're getting married!" she squeals. "I will be if I can ever get the courage to ask her. That's why Grandpa gave me…" David whacks him again. "Why are you so worried? They're Uncle's kids," he says rubbing his arm. "Is that her ring? She has big fingers," Star asks. David gives the ring to Josey who wraps it in her handkerchief and hides it in her blouse.

"No this was my grandfather's ring and let's leave things at that little one," David says turning around. "Your grandfather was named Blueice?" Drogo asks surprised. "No, the name on a wedding ring is the name the person you're married to," David says. "My grandmother was named Blueice, and before you ask Icie is named for her and this is the end of this conversation. Nathan say goodbye to the women we need to leave." Drogo doesn't hear the last sentence. He has his eyes closed rubbing his left middle finger with his right hand. Star too has closed her eyes.

"Say goodbye?" asks Bluesky. "Grampy Jacob wants me to come on the trip. Says with Uncle not coming he wants a good swimmer." "This storm is nothing to be testing your courage on!" "Captain's orders," David says shaking his head. "Aunt Sky? Do you think me asking her before we leave is bad luck?"

"Never!" Drogo shouts. He walks over and stands in font of Nathan. "It's never bad luck to tell someone you love them. It's only bad luck not to." He looks around at all the adults, "You guys are all the descendants of Josephine and Yakobah aren't you!" He looks at Nathan and point up at his nose, "Do you want to end up like them!"

"How do you know about that?" Josey asks with a frail voice. "I was the old man they saved. His Fomor was the only friend I had 'til Icie asked me to play." Star opens her eyes now, "What you mean by that? You have funny thoughts."

Drogo turns around. "You were using your powers again weren't you!" He point's at her angrily, "You're not supposed to do that! There's a very good reason Altana made us so we are alone in our heads!" Star points back, "Well Altana made me too! And I'm never alone! I hear everything! Nothing but noise!" She waves her arms and jumps up and down, "A kabilion whispers all at once, it gives me a headache!" She grabs her long ears and pulls them down, "I wanna put my fingers in my ears, but it doesn't work. I just wanna scream and cry!" She points at him, "And don't tell me your tummy doesn't hurt either! We play games!"

Nathan grabs Drogo by the shoulders and tries to pull him back but he doesn't budge. He glances up at him, "What is it?" "You hear voices girl?" David asks. His hand is on his dagger. Drogo sees his hand move. "Star's psychic!" he shouts, "She's the one who brought Yakobah and Josephine together!" "But the person who did that was named Bear…" says Josey. "My name is Bear~Star," the little Mithra enunciates stomping her foot. "And I'm not crazy!" she shouts pointing at David.

A distant crack disrupts the shouting. Nathan peaks out the window as the rain picks up slightly to a decent dribble. "If this keeps up there won't be much of a Saint Andraya's Gala this year." "What's that?" asks Drogo. Nathan looks back surprised. "Oh that's right your from Mines so you wouldn't know would you." He stands back up from looking outside. "Well it began about forty years ago when Uncle's Zbigniew heard the story from an Elvaan. He turned the story into a Ballad and it became one of his most popular. San d'Oria doesn't celebrate it anymore but we throw a gala every year on Saint Andraya's Day."

"What's a gala?" Star asks. "A gala is another word for a big party," Drogo explains. "A party!" she squeals clapping her hands. "We're having a party?" "Yes, but not for three days," David says, "and unfortunately the weather is supposed to be bad." "Awe…" Star sighs dejectedly.

"Who's Saint Andraya?" Drogo asks, "I know the story of Saint Valentione but I've never heard of her." Star starts jumping up and down and chanting, "Stor~y! Stor~y! Stor~y!" "Alright already," Nathan tries to calm the bouncing kitten. "Well…" he tries to think, "the gist of it is that once upon a time, there was a bunch of evil men who hit their wives and children. Saint Andraya hid the women and children in her nunnery…"

"What's a nunnery?" asks Star. "Umm… it's a special house were holy women live," Nathan explains, "Anyway… when the husbands found out, they grabbed their swords and attack the nunnery, and Saint Andraya stalled the men long enough for the women to escape, but she died doing it."

"So she's a warrior and a holy woman just like Mommy and Granny Mizar?" asks Star. "I… guess… so?" Nathan shrugs. "Wait…" asks Drogo, "How did a bunch of nuns take on armed men?" "Well… the nunnery they fled to was also a hospital and an apothecary supposedly. They used the potions they made as weapons, like the sleeping potions they made as anesthesia."

"How many people died?" Drogo asks. "Only her," says Nathan, "One of the men managed to stab her before he passed out." "So she was able to keep her oath and still protect everyone she loved?" Nathan just nods, not knowing what he means.

Drogo smiles, "I like this story. Too bad she died though." He puts his hand under his chin, "I wonder what she could have done differently so she lived too." "What oath?" Star asks.

"Nuns are not warriors Star," Drogo says turning to her, "They take an oath to do never hurt people. If they had tried matching sword with sword, they would have broken their oath and probably gotten everyone killed, but they didn't and almost everyone lived." Star shakes her head, "No. Granny Mizar says anyone can be a warrior, even sickie people like me. All you have to do is protect the people you love." She points at him, "Mrs. Saint protected the people she loved so she's a warrior too. So there." She sticks out her tongue.

More cracks fill the air, but this time closer. Nathan peeks out the window again, "That's funny… the sky's cleared a tad but the thunder's closer than ever." Another set of cranks come, but one thud is unmistakable. "That's no storm!" David runs to the door and opens it. But while the adults focus on the door, even Josey stands up, Drogo stares at Star.

She wobbles and blinks rapidly. "Star?" She spins around stumbling in a circle. "Momma?" she whispers. "Those are gun shots! There's a battle in Markets!" David shouts looking back in the room. He turns in just in time to see Star faint backwards into Drogo's arms. "Momma…the sword…Momma…"


	13. Ch12 The Once and Future Fomor King

**Chapter 12: The Crimson Shadow of the Once and Future Fomor King**

The barracks are a buzz with activity as the various units are being mobilized. As Zelig is packing his things he discovers a small package. He reads the attacked note: "This isn't a gift. I want it back but only after the war is over and you come home."

As he unwraps it he discovers Drogo's medal. He stands up and tries to leave. His friends stop him, "Zelig where do you think you're going?" "I need to give this back to Drogo. I can't keep this." He shows them the necklace. "We can't let you leave. You've abandoned duty too many times. Even the Commander can't cover for you any more. Next time is it. You're a dead man."

Zelig sighs dejectedly and stares at the necklace in his hands. He closes his fist gently around the pendant and kisses his it. "I will give this back to you Drogo. If it's the last thing I do," he whispers.

Lord Narcisse is raging in his room while his men watch helplessly outside the door staying clear of his wrath. The Humes and Galkas passing in the adjoining hallway just ignore him, long use to his temper tantrums. In the room, all the tapestries and plaques lay destroyed on the floor. Over them, a pile of broken axes and polearms while their upended stand lays in splinters on top of the decimation sandwich.

He stands over the mass hyperventilating holding an axe. Suddenly a glint catches his eye and he spins towards the door. He sees a mirror peaking inside. "Get in here you sniveling cowards!" The men run from the stone and metal fragments from the axe hitting the wall near the door frame.

One Myrmidon examines the large gash in the stone wall while Lord Narcisse tirades behind him. "So close! I was so close to regaining my honor! Do the spawn of Promathia conspire so thoroughly against me?" He and the Myrmidon turn around at the same moment. Lord Narcisse spots a trace of a smile on the his face.

"You dare mock me!" He shouts shoving him into the wall. He draws his mercy dagger and puts it to his throat. "No! No my Lord!" "Then why do you smile knave?" he growls. "I have family in Tavnazia! I was thinking of seeing them again!"

Lord Narcisse presses the dagger deeper against the skin, "Is that really why you were smiling?" he hisses. He puts his face to his, forehead to forehead, nose beside nose, pressing the knight's head hard into the wall glaring into his eyes.

Suddenly he releases the Myrmidon and turns his back to him. "Very well then," he says calmly. He waits until the knight has relaxed then swings around slicing with his dagger. The man hits his knees grabbing at his neck thinking he's been stabbed as Squire Gwenael but discovers only he's face is slashed. He looks up at his attacker. "I suggest you remember this day," Lord Narcisse growls, "Now get out of here…" he glances around the room "…All of you!"

Out in the hallway a fellow knight heals his gash, "Altana was watching over you today my friend," he says finishing. Another knight gives him his mirror to look at himself. "I think I'm going to go question the Bastokers," the first knight says. "What? Why filthy yourself?" he asks examining the extent of his new scar. "I don't think we'll be getting the details of our marching orders any time soon from our benevolent lord, and the Humes seem nervous. I'm going to discover why. I'll be in the mess hall." He turns and walks away.

The Myrmidon gives the mirror back to his comrade. "So you have family in Tavnazia?" he asks, "May I ask whom?" "My sister, she was given to a fellow Temple Knight named Luaith serving our twin cathedral just a few months before the war started."

A sudden sustained gust of wind kicks up a dust cloud. The gate guards cough and cover their faces. A figure begins to walks towards them. One of the Humes draws his sword, "Who's there!" "Now I'd donno that…" says a deep voice with a heavy accent. "D'I look like a turtle to ya?"

A Galka stands before them, dressed in tattered patchwork rags with a sack tied to the end of his staff. He holds his hat with one hand and holds his other hand high to show he's unarmed. He levers his staff between his elbow and neck.

The Galka sweet talks the Hume soldiers, acting the fool and getting them to laugh in spite the wind. As the conversation turns more bigoted, he reinforces them with his words and gestures. "All right, let him through," orders the head guard, "He's harmless." "I thank ya kindly Sir," he says bowing. He walks inside. Soon afterwards the wind calms down as suddenly as it picks up. The Humes just shrug at the odd turns in the winds and continue their watch soon forgetting the man they just let through.

In the Residential Area, the Galka takes his hat off and takes the peddlers bag off the end of his staff revealing a beautiful brass head forged in the Aht Urhgan fashion. In the bag, food, drinks, medications, and a collection of weapons, an arsenal carefully compiled with an epic battle in mind. He takes a chair and sits in front of the wash stand and stares blankly into the mirror above. His hair and beard are a chocolate brown, unusually uniform in color. It is also greased heavily to hold it flat seemingly against its will. The circles of his eyes also seem off upon closer inspection, a darker shade slightly visible like the wood grain of a whitewashed fence. He lowers his head and starts to weep, "Altana…" he whispers distinctly without his previous accent.

Suddenly the Galka slips out of the chair and hits his knees. He punches the washstand with muted rage, then slums over turning back to it and hugs him knees, "Gumbah…Cornelia…Please end this…end this forever…so no one will have to do that again…" he whimpers.

The moogle flies over and hovers in front of him, "Are you ok? Kupo!" He looks up from his knees. The color under his eyes taints his checks. "For the first time in my life… I don't know," he whispers in a familiar voice.

The army gathers in Freidrich Battery Circle. The Humes ride armored war chocobos while the Galkas prepare to march on foot. Even in the mixed units like Zelig's, the disparity is blunt. The Tarutaru and Elvaan also ride. "Even now they treat us no more than beasts of burden," grumbles a Galka in front and to the right of Zelig.

"What did you just say soldier?" says a Hume voice. Zelig salutes, "Commander Sir." "At Ease Private," he says glancing a smirk at Zelig. He dismounts his bird and looks the now terrified Galka in the eyes, "What is your name soldier?" "I'm Indich Sir. I serve in the support brigade as a Bard." "My sincerest apologies Indich for this egregious oversight. I will do everything in my powers to correct this. And if not, I shall lend you my personal chocobo when your feet tire."

Instead of remounting, he takes his chocobo by the reins and walks forward through the ranks. Indich and several other Galkas glance at each other shocked looking to see if they heard correctly. "Never had a Hume treat you as an equal before have you?" Everyone turns to Zelig. "As hard as it is to believe sometimes, there are good Humes. We're lucky to have one as our Commander. You'll see on the march." "Stop talking and eyes forward!" A riding crop smacks Zelig in the back of the head. Everyone turns to see a burly Hume in officer's stripes astride his chocobo. He clicks his spurs and rides forward.

At the front of the column, Zelig's Commander is talking with his officers still holding his chocobo by its reins. The officer rides forward. "You men understand your orders?" he asks his officers as he rides up behind him.

"You surprise me. A man of your rank should be able to discipline your rats better," he says glaring down from his mount. The Commander turns around, "Who said that!" He sees a knee and follows the leg up to the scowling face. "Oh it's you…" the Commander waves him off, "Worry about your own men, Brother. We're preparing for the parade."

"You should respect your superiors better, Baby Baba," he mocks. The subordinates chuckle. "Don't call me that!" "Well you used the familiar first. But still… you still need to instill greater discipline in your troops. You have been having difficulties with your Galkan ranks all year from my understanding." "You may be higher ranking than me, but you are not my superior. I can handle my men well enough. If you're referring to the incidents I think you are, a father's duty to his children is just as valid as his military oath. I'd like to believe you would show mercy too if one of your men suffered a crisis."

"Galkas have no children. You're projecting Hume emotions where there are none," he scolds. "Go service your own unit. I have orders it give," the Commander points towards another parade group. "I can't wait to see if your mules can even walk in step." He rides off. "Don't worry… you're about to see something you'll never forget…" Zelig's Commander grumbles.

"Baby Baba Sir," one of his subordinates chuckles, "What is your given name?" The Commander mounts his chocobo, "Now's not the time for that. Go distribute the orders. We're going give Bastok a show." "Yes Sir!" they all salute.

After he rides off they talk among themselves. "Do you really think the Hume soldiers will be up for this?" asks one. "Most should, Private Zelig has been a good influence. Any person who still feels that way needs to check their pulse." "Even still, some might not do it because of family," another says. "There's also our careers to consider," echoes a third. "There's nothing in the Military Rules of Conduct banning what we're about to do," says the only one not nervous, "And besides it may not be popular but we can all agree it's the right thing to do."

In the rear, the Galkas are heckling Zelig as the wind picks up. "Good Humes my tail!" says one. "Hey! What are you doing to Red!" the Commander shouts spurring his chocobo from a light trot to full gallop. He leaps from his bird and runs into the argument.

"I asked you not to call me that," Zelig says annoyed. "I'm sorry, but what's happening here?" he orders. "I was telling them how nice you and some of the other Hume officers are but then someone rode by and hit me with his crop yelling at us for talking." "Big guy with a beard?" he asks looking at the ground. "Yes," answers Zelig.

He sighs, "That would be my older brother," he looks back up and spends a few moments looking into everyone's eyes as he talks, "I'm sorry for what he did. My brother is a jerk. He hits everyone with that crop, including me." "I'd use a stronger word but I'm emotional scared from all the soap I threw up as a child," he adds with a chuckle. Zelig laughs but the rest of the Galkas are silent with blank expressions, unable to comprehend a Hume cracking jokes with them.

"I could have handled things myself here Commander," Zelig says with a smile. "I know that much, I was more worried about the others. As much as this war need men of your talents, your mentor taught you a little too well." The other Galkas turn and stare at the unassuming Galka in their midst. Zelig blushes and looks at the ground. "Who was your mentor?" Indich asks.

Zelig nervously twiddles his thumbs, "…He …was…kinda… a rival… of Darksteel Hurricane… before he killed everyone in the Northlands…" he mumbles. Some of Galkas take a step back from the meek Galka they were just confronting.

"…You're… a Dark Knight?" stutters one. "But you use a shield?" asks Indich. "He was trained in multiple fields," he says as beat red as his hair, "He also fancied himself a Bard… mostly intoxicated but… he was actually pretty good."

"And he taught you well, you shouldn't be embarrassed like this." "Look, I know what you're trying to do Commander… and thank you, but I would use the word 'taught' more like assaulted. I couldn't touch him with a ten foot pole. All I ever did was keep myself from getting killed. The only thing he ever 'taught' me was we only raise our blades in defense to another. That's the only difference between murders and soldiers."

The Commander nods, "But still even if you couldn't touch him with a ten foot pole, the rest of Vana'diel couldn't touch him with a hundred. People are alive because of you that wouldn't be otherwise." Zelig looks at the ground clenching his fists, "I… only took the draft as a replacement for a friend who is so terrified of blood he can't even clean a fish." He looks back up, "Altana may not grant my prayer to die as a quiet old fishmonger. But at least Nathan will have a chance to die an old man." This Commander sighs looking at the ground, "You're about as morbid as that old priest passing charms out to the troops."

He looks back up and points at Indich, "You! With the white hair. You said your name was Indich right?" "Yes Sir!" he salutes. "And you gave you job as a bard for the troops?" "Yes Sir!" he shouts at attention. "Good, come with me then. We only have less than an hour to pull this off." "What are you planning to do this time?" asks Zelig.

"I'm having the Bards move to the front to play the national anthem as we march out the gates. Then, during the pause between the first verse and the chorus, I am ordering all the Humes to dismount…" He raises his hand and clinches his fist, "All the Galkas will mount and you, not us, will ride out the gates," he finishes eagerly. He lowers his arm, "What do you think of that?"

Everyone glances at each other unable to process what they are hearing, but Zelig only puts his hand under his chin in a thinking pose, "I'd say just having the Humes dismount and marching with us as a sign of solidarity would be enough and the less provocative option then us switching mounts." "Yes, originally that was what the officers and I have been planning since the briefing this morning but after all the 'noise' for lack of a better word, all of us decided that we need a more dramatic example," he explains. Suddenly a thought pops in his mind, "Zelig why don't you come with us and help tune the instruments. You're a musician too I hear."

Zelig jumps back startled, "We're did you hear that!" "From the men from Port. They say you play in the same style you mentor did." "It's nothing but jajsha, complete nonsense. Only random sounds strung together off the top of a drunken's head that happened to sound nice. He couldn't read sheet music any more than I can. I'd just get in the way… I wouldn't know a tuned harp if it hit me in the head," Zelig adds quickly pleading. "My understanding is that this 'jazz' is becoming popular dance music in the Port taverns."

"Sir please," Zelig begs, "We are already pushing the boundaries as it is. A jajsha solo would be completely inappropriate for the sacred anthem. We'd have a riot on our hands." "I wasn't asking you to solo, Zelig," he smirks, "Though that would be a sight. All I need is a reliable man like yourself to help me with the organizing. We're wasting time as it is. Now that's an order."

Zelig sighs and salutes halfheartedly, "Yes Sir…" As he begins to walk back towards the wagons, the Commander turns to Indich, "Now then come with me Indich, you'll be riding my chocobo as promised." Indich only nods in silence and quietly walks behind him leading his chocobo.

The sky begins to clear and the single crank of thunder is a memory. A crowd begins to gather for the march, Zelig's unit attracting the most attention with the bards practicing and tuning instruments. Cheers and clapping go through the crowd when they recognize part of the national anthem played by a trumpeter.

"The sun feels good after a cloudy day," Zelig's commander thinks as he takes a deep breath of the salty air. He turns and sees Zelig walking up to him. "How are the preparations coming?" Zelig salutes, "The moisture in the air is making it difficult to tune the instruments, but with the wind changing directions from the inflow we only have a few precious hours left." "Precious hours? What do you mean?" he asks surprised.

"There's a storm out there," Zelig says watching the waves. "The front coming is the least of our worries. Once we march we'll need to buckle down tight. If the powder gets wet we'll lose precious time and supplies." The Commander looks back over the water, "I trust you, but I doubt I'll be able to convince the other officers. Especially if they discover a Galka is the source of the intel." "I understand," Zelig sighs.

"You'd make a great officer Red. You sure you won't stay on after the war?" He shakes his head, "No I belong on my boat." They both sigh at the same time then glance up at each other surprised.

Deep in the crowd, the Galka in Penance rags with a cloth-wrapped staff leans against a wall watching the activities. This time he is wearing green and gold pants and shoes, caked in mud to hide how finely made they are. The same goes for his black and gold gages.

"There are so many women and children here, dang it," he thinks. "I was planning on Iceday, but…" he bites his lower lip, "There are too many civilians. I can't allow any collateral damage." He sighs, then smiles, "How appropriate that today is when my nightmare ends and my unattainable dream becomes reality." He uncorks a bottle and downs it fast. Then, after wiping his mouth on his sleeve, puts his hand in a sign.

Zelig and his Commander turn around hearing the first screams. The stampede starts before they can even take their first step. Soldiers dismount and chocobos run wild in the crowd.

A demon hovers over them.

Lord Narcisse begins to rally his men when he hears the Tarus shouting in the crowd. "Wait!" "Stop!" "It's only Lord Diabolos!" he hears them shout. Lord Narcisse looks up at the demon, "The dream stalker shows himself in the sun?" He scowls.

"Sir your orders?" a knight asks. "Retreat and make yourselves hidden. We observe and wait." "Wait? Wait for what?" another knight protests. "This is a diversion," Lord Narcisse says turning back to the scene, "We await the true villain to take center stage."

Master Caster Lobais-Tobias and three other Tarus ride up to Zelig and his commander. "Commander you must stop this! That creature…"

"Nightmare!" the creature shouts.

Suddenly people and chocobos begin fainting in droves. Zelig catches his commander before he hits his head on the cobblestones. Lobais-Tobias is thrown from his chocobo as it collapses under him. Two of his companions also slip from their chocobos' backs. "Dah! Lord Diabolos is really mad now!" the surviving Taru panics. "Give word to fall back!" the Master Caster orders, "Let the Humes manage their own mess."

Zelig turns towards the monster after gently laying his friend down against the soft chocobo. "Lord Diabolos?" he thinks. His eyes widen, "Drogo…" He backs away from the scene and begins to glance around him haphazardly. He does not draw his sword but clinches his fist instead.

Instinct tells him to spin around and take a swing. Gamesage becomes visible as he tumbles to the ground dropping his dagger. "Drogo? Drogo what do you think your doing?" he says seeing the blade.

Gamesage leans up shaking the daze from his head. He hears two crashes and looks behind him. The cloth wrap has come undone releasing two bottles to break on the ground. He turns back to Zelig, eyes full of hate. "Damn my two Amritas," he thinks, "And I need to stay as far away from Diabolos as possible… I got five minutes to end this."

Gamesage picks up the dagger and switches it to his left hand in a reverse grip. He leads with a right punch putting his full weight into the jump up. Zelig isn't fooled by the feint, and instead of dodging straight into a spin kick, dodges into the dagger. Gamesage instinctively drops the blade instead of risking stabbing him in a vital area. Zelig grabs him and uses Gamesage's own momentum saved for the kick to flip him over.

Gamesage lands flat on his back. He doesn't hear the broken glass but he can feel it grind against his flesh. He rolls over and sees Zelig kick the dagger. It skips across the cobblestones quite a ways.

Zelig turn back around, "What do you think you're doing boy?"

Gamesage undoes the lashing and pull the staff and its bundle off his back. He just pushes the bag aside without care of the contents and pulls the staff under him to keep from being completely unarmed.

"Apparently getting schooled by a dead man…" he says feeling his back. He's bleeding but nothing near the spine.

"A…? Drogo what's possessed you?!" "Nothing that hasn't possessed me for the past three years," Gamesage groans to his feet and grips his staff.

They study each other. "That was a SaTa," Zelig thinks, "The boy is subbed Thief…" he glances at the staff, "That staff is heavily off balance, that will limit him to non-Far Eastern stances… Right hand up, left hand down. At that spacing he's leading from right for short-form." He glances at his feet, "But his feet aren't spaced right. He's checking himself, probably for a full swing after a false thrust." "I need to bait him," he decides.

Zelig stands sideways with this shield and sheathed sword to the rear. "Zbigniew is baiting me," he thinks, "If I swing to the right he can disarm me again… If I swing to the left we will both spin out. If I long strike it leaves me open to a head shot with the shield. But he won't risk it with that kite shield's sharpened edge. But I should block anyway, setup a secondary shot."

Gamesage charges and punches with his left hand. Zelig spins clockwise. Gamesage switches his right hand to an over-grip to a block.

Suddenly a thud startles him. Gamesage is inches from the sharpened edge of the shield. The hesitation gives Zelig the opening to unleash his centripetal force into a hard drive to the jaw.

Gamesage stubbles.

"Zbigniew, what a foolish boy you've become," he says out loud shaking his head.

Gamesage gathers himself and wipes the blood from his mouth. Then he vanishes. But Zelig is surprised but isn't fooled and follows him. He raises his shield to block an upper body shot but is struck to the ground by a full force blow to the back of his thighs with the weighted end.

It is Zelig's turn on his back. But he doesn't linger. He rolls quickly out of the way of an axe chop swing to his legs. He rolls five full times before he tries to right himself, but he stumbles and falls backwards.

Zelig rolls again expecting another swing that never comes. Gamesage checks the obvious blow to his surprise, until the third panicked twist when he collides with one of Diabolos' sleeping victims.

A White Mage.

Zelig steals his club slipping the rope tie around his wrist and finally limps to his feet. They circle each other as Zelig walks away from the body, "How did you do that? That's not possible!" "I'll try anything once!" Gamesage shouts taking another over-handed swing with the weighted end.

Zelig blocks with his shield and Gamesage parries the counter-swing with the club.

Soldiers rise and fall with every Nightmare blast but the duel does not go unnoticed long. Gamesage sees a shot of fear grip Zelig's eyes and he tries to force a spin around.

"Night Terror!" he shouts. Diabolos returns in kind and the men fall to the ground before they draw any nearer. Then he attacks the men as they try to recover.

"That…Galka… ordered the demon?" Indich says awake enough to notice. He makes his way to this commander crawling slowly though the chaotic maze of men and birds.

Only the piercing thwacks of colliding wood and metal separate this battle from a choreographed training session. Parry. Block. Dodge. Spin. Thrust. Swing. Neither man gaining the upper hand. Neither able to repeat the success of the first few blows.

Zelig raises his club for a downward swing and Gamesage raises his staff horizontally to block. But suddenly Zelig drops the club and grabs the staff with both his hands. Unable to break each others' grip it becomes a pushing match.

"You're never going to be able to beat me boy," Zelig lectures, "I know you better than you know yourself. You'll never win because you can't kill me."

Gamesage ties to raise his arm forcing them to spin around. Now his back is to Diabolos' battle. "You don't know anything about me," Gamesage grimaces, "I killed you once I'll kill you again."

Zelig breaks concentration for a split second and his eyes widen. Gamesage presses him down but he does not fall backwards. But Zelig discovers he can't straighten himself either. The blow to his legs is finally starting to show.

Gamesage can see in his face the pain in his knees and presses harder trying to make them buckle.

"What do you mean Drogo?" he asks through clenched teeth, "I died in Tavnazia. Isn't that why your doing this?"

Gamesage turns his head away, "I lied…"

Normally this would be the moment, but Zelig is too shocked to take advantage. His knees bend even deeper under the strain.

Indich finally slaps his commander awake, "Sir! Sir! Wake up!" The Hume moans awake dazed. But the sound of gun shots jogs the sleep from his eyes. He rolls over and looks around him at the battle. He sees the flying demon single handedly taking on most the army. Then he turns to his left and sees Zelig battling the rag-clothed Galka. "That man Red is fighting… an enemy?" Indich nods, "Yes he is an ally of the demon." "Indich… help me load my gun…"

"I was exploring the Aqueducts under the ruined Cathedral when a Fomor snuck up behind me…" Gamesage starts to cry, "I clubbed him to death with my staff without even thinking… Like I always did when someone came up behind me. The Galka didn't have a single weapon on him. He just held up the necklace. IT WAS YOU!" "You died in my arms…" he whimpers.

"Drogo listen to me," Zelig struggles in pain but begins to straighten up, "I know you see things differently because of Yakobah, but what were you planning to do? Read me bedtime stories?"

Gamesage recognizes his mistake too late. Zelig is pressing him down. The staff comes down to their shoulders as Zelig looks Gamesage in the face. He smiles. "You didn't take my soul boy," he comforts, "You saved it."

Rage burns through Gamesage's eyes and he head butts Zelig. He loses his grip. "Nirvana: Garland of Bliss!"

Zelig collapses dazed and stunned to the ground. "No I haven't saved you soul," Gamesage says walking up to him. He holds Nirvana like a sledge hammer, "Not yet."

_Bang._

Gamesage drops Nirvana at its full extension backwards. Its metal head clinks, then clucks as its wooden staff whacks into the cobblestones with a thud.

Gamesage drops to his knees, then tumbles forward onto Zelig.

Zelig turns him over and leans over his ward, "Drogo! Drogo don't leave. You're going to be fine."

Gamesage coughs, "Nathan…is going… to die. Get him away…from the docks… when they pull in." "Don't worry about a thing," Zelig begins to cry, "You'll be able to save him yourself."

"My…soul…is only…a gate…for your will," he whispers. "Ruinous Omen!" Diabolos screams and lets loose a devastating blast.

Zelig instinctively covers Gamesage. He doesn't see him pull a Summoner's Horn from his pocket. He slips the tip under the plates of Zelig's armor unnoticed.

"Don't worry about me Zbigniew," Gamesage whispers. Zelig turns and is completely dismayed at his smile. "All of my suffering… it ends today." "Drogo don't say things like that. You're going to be all…AHH!" He screams as Gamesage plunges the spike under his knee cap.

Diabolos vanishes.

Gamesage closes his eyes.

In the chaotic aftermath of the Astral Flow, two Galkas that escaped the blast pull Zelig away from Gamesage's body. He struggles desperately to return to his side. His emotions blind himself to his leg, the spike twisting and churning, severing everything it touches as he kicks and screams. Finally, Zelig's leg refuses to respond and he is dragged away.

His commander runs up, "I have him! Go help the others!" They drop Zelig and run over to Gamesage and begin to drag him off. "No!" Zelig screams. He tries to rise but falls backwards. The Commander finally reaches him and pulls the spike from his knee, "Don't worry about vengeance, Red. We have the terrorist." Zelig raises his arm, grasping his fingers at the image of Gamesage being dragged away. "That's not a terrorist, Balor. That's my son!"


	14. Chapter 13 Mene, Mene, Tekel u-Pharsin

**Chapter 13: ****Mene, Mene, Tekel u-Pharsin**

President Prien is receiving a briefing concerning the bound Mithra. There are a handful of soldiers in the room. One is sitting in a chair in front of his desk along side a nervous doctor. "There are no external lacerations and bruising that cannot be explained by the toppling of the equipment," the doctor says, "And genital examinations show no evidence of a rape. The only trace of a possible attack was liquid sleeping potion found along the lips. Our conclusion is that she had a rag soaked in it placed to her mouth."

"That matches the finding at the scene, the Mithra had a rag soaked in the liquid tied over her mouth." "Any progress at identifying the victim?" Prien asks. The soldier shakes his head, "No, no one seems to know who she is." "Really?" the doctor says surprised, "But about that other Mithra that was brought in that has the same tattoo?"

"What other Mithra?" Prien asks sternly. "The only other Mithra involved was a White Mage that came into the hallway and volunteered. She was treated for exposure with the other men and released." "Last I saw the Mithra I treated was hanging at the woman's bedside hanging on every movement thinking she's awakened. Not the behavior of a stranger in my opinion."

"Who is this other Mithra?" Prien demands. "She gave her name a Viki Sa…" "Viki Sayma…" he interrupts sighing. Prien looks back up, "What was the mark?" "Their essential element was a set of bird wings. The unidentified Mithra had hers boldly in the cleavage under the breasts while Viki's was hidden on the upper inner thigh. I almost missed it. At first glance it appeared to be a tattoo I've seen many Elvaans have but that's a complete impossibility in spite the similar style."

"Why is that?" he asks.

"The tattoo is to symbolize the protection of Altana your Excellency," the doctor answers, "If you've spent even a few moments with the Mithra to know the abhor Altana as much as the Beastmen. Finding a Mithra that believes in Altana is about as likely as finding an Elvaan that does not."

President Prien's face turns to shock as something tickles the back of his mind. "Excuse me a moment," he says carefully putting the report aside. He gets out of his chair and leans down at a stack of reports dated from early summer. He pulls one out and begins to read.

Suddenly a group of soldiers and aids comes barging in, "Your Excellency! There's been a Kindred attack on the marching units at departure!" "What! What's happening?" he says standing. "A Galka and a Demon attacked the march at the departure ceremony. There are multiple casualties, mostly light, but one Galka was wounded severely. The Demon escaped by apparently using a warp scroll after its accomplice was shot. We are actively looking for it as we speak and the Galkan perpetrator is under heavy guard at the Infirmary. We are making preparations with the doctors to remove the patients in that wing so we can secure the area properly. There will be no chance at a rescue for this individual, the men and the Galkas are taking this personally."

"Which of my patients are you trying to move!" demands the doctor. "The only other individual in this area is the Mithra from the barracks." "You will not move that woman!" orders President Prien, "And you are to divert some of your men to properly secure her as well. I want her unharmed! Only personnel I approve will be allowed and bar all Elvaans from that corridor!" "All Elvaans Sir?" a stunned soldier asks. He turns to him and glares at the soldier, "Yes all Elvaans. And when she awakens I am to be informed immediately. I will question her myself." "But Sir…" starts an aide. "But nothing! Follow my orders now! All of you!"

After everyone leaves, Prien returns to the report from early summer. "Looks like I finally have a chance to get the answers I need… Bearstar of the Cobras," he thinks closing the file and placing it on his desk.

Zelig is laying on a table in a dressing gown covered with sheet. He has pulled it over his head to give himself some privacy. The soldiers glance at each other in disbelief and sorrow listening to their once stoic comrade whimper.

Under the sheet, his face is full of pain but not from his leg. He has stopped crying but only because his tear ducts have run out of water. He is breathing hard and mumbling. Suddenly the silence in the room is startled by the door opening. Zelig turns his head to listen to the voices. He hears two sets of boots walk out and another set walk in. Then the door closes again.

"You can come out now Big Red, we're alone," says a comforting voice. Zelig lifts the sheet from his head. "Balor," he says surprised. He tries to sit up instinctively but the movement pulls on the tendons in his leg. He screams in pain and falls backwards cursing. "I guess I don't have to ask how you're doing," he smiles meekly. He pulls up a chair and sits down. "The Taru said everything is back where it should be but you still can't walk."

"It doesn't feel like nerve damage to me," Zelig grumbles, "I've had it for over a hundred years. I think I know my own knee. But they won't listen." "Do you even know what nerve damage feels like?" Zelig turns his head to the wall, "That's what they said too."

Balor sighs. "I knew about the little boy, but I had no idea you had another child." "What's happened to his body?" Zelig whimpers. "He's alive… for now at least." Zelig is so shocked he tries to sit up again. He screams again but this time he continues to fight his body trying to right himself. "Big Red what are you doing?" Balor says running over to him, "Lay back down, you'll make it worse." Zelig slaps his arms away and struggles to swing his legs over the side.

Ultimately he succeeds and sits upright. But he becomes dizzy from the pain and drifts forward. Balor grabs him before he falls. "My boy… is alive?" he whispers in his ears as Balor pushes him back. He looks his friend in the eyes and nods, "Yes. He had some sort of crude reraise earring on him. Looks almost like a child made it." "Thank you Altana…" Zelig mumbles.

"I wouldn't thank her yet. Your boy attacked Bastok's military. He's a terrorist, no more than Darksteel Hurricane. Even if we succeed in hiding his identity, all it will do will earn him an unmarked grave, if they don't dump his body in the harbor."

"If we?" Zelig asks. Balor nods. "I didn't tell the MP what you said to me, and I'm sure you haven't as well." Zelig smiles softly, "You didn't have to do that…" "Yes I did."

"Knowing him he'll escape soon enough, now I know he's alive then everything will be fine." Balor shakes his head, "There's no way in hell he can escape. They have him bound spread eagle with his limbs weighted. His hands are wrapped tightly around cut off broom handles to prevent him from moving his fingers and forming a sign. There is a rope laced through his mouth preventing him from speaking and there are mages stationed in his room keeping bind, paralyze and silence on him at all times. He can't even blink his eyes without help."

"What are the chances of a rescue? His friends are loyal to a fault," Zelig asks now concerned. Balor shakes his head again, "It would only be a suicide mission. They have him heavily guarded. Even the President isn't watched so well. Someone would need to overpower the entire army in order to just reach him, and even then there's the escape." Zelig hangs his head. "Drogo…" he thinks, "If you really meant to die… then you wouldn't have had your earring…"

Zelig looks back up at Balor, "I believe in my son," he says half to him, half in prayer. "I wish I knew how to answer that," Balor says clinching his fists. "I've done what I've done for your sake not his."

There's a long silence between the men, neither having anything to say but not wanting to leave. Zelig breaks the awkward minutes, "With everything that has happened… you must have a lot on your plate right now. You should get back to duty." Balor nods and turns around to walk away. Zelig looks up from the ground suddenly, "Balor wait!" He turns around, hand still on the door knob.

"Please be careful," Zelig begins, "Gamesage wouldn't have done this unless he felt the coming battle was beyond hope." "Don't worry about a thing. I'll take care of everyone for you. And If I fall in battle I'll rise from the grave to continue the fight." "Don't jinx yourself like that!" Zelig pleads. "Goodbye… Zelig." Balor opens the door and leaves.

Zelig sits alone for a long time, unable to move because of his knee. Rested from their long hiatus, his ducts have gathered enough liquid to start again.

Star is laid out on the bed. Drogo won't leave her side. David and Nathan have left so Josey and Bluesky are alone. Josey comes back from peaking on the children, "That girl is so slight. The argument must have tasked her." Bluesky looks up from her counter-cross stitch, "I see why Zelig was worried now." She sits down next to her, "Zeddie and Icie always say she falls asleep sometimes when the play." "And Drogo is always right next to her as her pillow." Bluesky chuckles briefly, then sighs. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" asks Josey.

Drogo is sitting in a chair next to the bed. He glances up at Star every few moments but spends most of the time looking down at his hands rubbing his finger. He slowly removes his glove revealing a Mythril ring. He takes it off his finger and examines it. Engraved on the inner band is a string of numbers and his name. His thoughts are as jumbled as his fiddling with the ring, twisting it through his fingers, taking in on and off the tip of his thumb.

Thoughts of Yakobah's murder race through his mind, but also the words of Wise Tongue.

The horrid stories of the deeds of Promathia juxtaposed to the kind words of Zelig.

He also questions his own instincts.

About how he coveted the ring vs. the set of dog tags strung on the same chain around his neck when he first awoke from his Journey. About how when the other children were hanging on every word of the storyteller's recounting of the proud history of their race, he was daydreaming about the first Hume book he ever found at the dump. About how the other Zbigniews would take the toys he gave to their children away. How he was always the bad little Galka, too curious about the Humes for his own good. Never understanding the truth no matter how many times it was beaten into him.

But here he is…one of the few Galkas able to trace himself back across two Journeys… in a Hume house… with a Hume family with Galkan names… staring an old ring that if Wise Tongue had had his way Josephine and Yakobah would have had the chance to exchange their own without sin.

Drogo glances up at Star. He takes his ring and puts it on Star's finger, but it doesn't fit. He takes the string that tied Nathan's ring around his neck and threads it though the ring and gently wraps it around her wrist a few times before he ties it in a bow.

"I'm not marrying you…" comes a squeak. "I don't wanna marry you either," Drogo says, "Why do you think that?" Star moves her head towards the other room, "They're thinking it." She rolls over on her side to look at him, "Can I ask you something?" "Sure."

"Why to you and people keep thinking that your different people who are dead or imagine you as a grown up?" Drogo looks down and rubs his now nonexistent ring. "I've been thinking about this for awhile, since you always talk about meeting the Goddess." He looks back up, "Star you know a lot about flowers don't you?" "Yes, I love flowers." "You know what flower bulbs are? Like tulips and daffodils?" She nods. "Well, Galkas are like tulips. The other races are like flowers that grow from seeds, bloom, make more seeds then die forever. But Galkas are like tulips, on the surface we sprout, flower, and die. But we have bulbs. After we die back we sleep for a time then in the spring we bud again as a new baby flower. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Star scoots over on her stomach so she's now perpendicular on the bed. "I think I do. But does that mean Galkas never meet the Goddess?" Drogo shakes his head, "No. Lots of Galkas have met Altana. We just have more springs than most." She smiles relieved. "I'm glad," Star says meekly with no strength in her voice.

Drogo takes the hand he tied the ring to, "Bearstar. This isn't a gift. I just want you to hold on to it for me until you get big, then you have to give it back to me. You promise?" "But I'm not gonna get big." "Sure you will. When you go to bed at night you wanna wake up the next morning so we can play together again, right?" Star nods. "You get a little bigger every day. If you keep doing that over and over, then you'll get to be a big person before you know it then we can be together again." "What do you mean?"

Drogo looks down at the ground, "The adults are all saying how the war will be over soon. And that means you and your mother will be going home." Star scurries up and wraps herself around Drogo's neck, "No… I don't want to go. I want to play with you forever." "I do too Star, but we're only little kids so we don't get to do what we want sometimes. That's why I'm giving you the ring. So when you get big, big enough to travel on your own, you have to come find me and give me my ring back. Then we can be together again." "But how will I find you?" she whimpers. "I'll be here with Zbigniew, Ceddie and Icie, so all you need to do is come to Bastok and come to the docks. Ok?" Star nods.

Then, after a brief pause, "Drogo can you carry me to the big doctor's place? I'm still dizzy." she whispers. He nods and tries to stand up, "Ok I'll get the grownups…" She pulls him back, "No you can't. They'll just get in the way." He looks at her, "What do you mean?"

She starts to cry, "I can't just see inside peoples heads and talk to ghosts, I can see things before the happen. I need to save Momma from the bad knight we beat up. If she isn't dead already." "But what if they won't let us in? We're just kids." "You might not you big klutz, but I can. Just get my bag. I can use it to get inside like I always do." "But about me? What I'm I supposed to do?" "Don't worry, I'll hit him in the pee-pee pee-er and bring Mommy outside, then you can beat him up just like last time."

Josey comes back into the room to check on them. She finds nothing but an open window. She runs over and hangs her head out. "Children! Children!" she screams. Bluesky runs in shouting, "What is it?" She sees the empty bed. Josey comes back inside and the two women run out the door into the wind.

A priest is in a losing battle to keep his hood up when he hears two women screaming against the roar of the harbor. Father Ermenegilde forsakes his hood and runs towards the voices. Bluesky spots him first, runs to him and kneels grabbing the hem of his robes, "Oh holy father have you seen two children? A Galka and a Mithra girl?" "You seek Drogo and Star!" he jumps back startled.

Josey sees them and runs up. "Friar Ermie, is that you?" she says seeing his face. He looks up recognizing the voice, "Josephine?" "You know him sister?" Bluesky looks up. "Sister?" he startles again. "Bluesky is little Jason's bride," she says as Bluesky stands, "Please Fair, little Granzbiggie and a Mithra girl are missing. The babe is slight. She shouldn't be out of bed."

In the Infirmary, Major Viki is dragged though the line of Galka soldiers and shoved out into the connecting hallway. She tries to get back in but the soldiers out-muscle her in the struggle. "You can't come back here Mithra," one shouts shoving her to the ground. "My patient is back there!" she shouts back. "You a doctor miss?" asks one surprised by her lack of clothing. "Yes," Major Viki says standing. "All patients are being secured and prepared to be moved. You'll be able to rejoin your patient in a few minutes." "What's going on!" she demands. "A high-priority prisoner is injured. We are securing the area for his treatment. Unfortunately we need him alive, at least for now."

Recognizing defeat and taking comfort in the repeated use of male pronouns by the soldiers, she storms off. Turning into the main hallway she sees some of her girls sulking, "How long have you ladies been here?" "Major!" several shout. "Major are you all right?" one asks standing up from the floor. "Yes I'm fine." "Are you sure? You've been gone all day?" asks another. "Yes I've been assisting here." "With that other Mithra?" one asks scowling. "Why do you ask that?" Major Viki turns defensive to the tone of voice.

"Major Arenk ordered a head count… Viki… and everyone is accounted for. Who is this woman you have spent so many hours with?" She crosses her arms. "I do not know," Major Viki says sternly, "She has not regained consciousness. My guess is she is an Adventurer. They are the only others allowed in the barracks. But we won't know until she wakes up …if she wakes up." She sighs.

"You seem to take this personally," she prods. Major Viki glares at her, "I… Am… a Healer! It is my job to take things personally. I hold people's very lives in my hands…" she grasps the air with her hands "… and even after death as a Pythoness." She stomps her foot. "You will never make a good leader, or a Mother!" She pushes the Mithra into the wall.

"Mommy?" Major Viki feels a hug on her leg. Then she hears coughing. She kneels down and waves her hand. Little Star's invisible vanishes revealing a pale face. "Oh my Goddess, sweetie." She feels her hands and forehead, cold and burning respectively. "Mommy, Mommy we need run away," she tugs on her mother's arms. "What's wrong?" asks one of Mithras. "It's not the doggie anymore Mommy. He's coming Mommy. He's coming. We need…to…ru…"

Little Star stops mid sentence, wobbles like a top, then falls backwards slamming her head against the wall. She begins trashing violently coughing unworldly sounds.

A seizure has begun.

Screams of "Bearstar" echo through the Infirmary. Hearing the cries, an Elvaan man runs out of the building into a nearby back alley. The Tyrian Wolves are laying in wait there. Lord Narcisse himself is with them resting against the wall sharpening his sword. The Elvaan leans down and whispers in his ear.

"We have her men!" Lord Narcisse says standing up. They draw their swords and rush through the halls. Only two stay behind. They rush to help the Elvaan spy put his armor over his civilian clothes. They barge through the hallways with total disregard towards their blades, slicing clothing and scratching walls.

Drogo seeing them barge into the building, runs off screaming for help. But everyone ignores the little Galka in tattered clothes. Finally he sees his salvation.

A group of Mithras are chatting near the steps to Gold Street. "What's that screaming?" one says looking towards Freidrich Battery Circle. They all look and see Drogo running towards them. "Oh look, it's my niece's pet rat," mocks Arenk.

Drogo grabs her by her leg armor, "Please your Star's aunt aren't you?" "Yes, now get your filthy hands of me." "Please! The Elvaans are trying to kill Major Viki! Star's with her in the Infirmary! They'll kill her too!" "Why those tailless buffoons!" Arenk takes off towards the Infirmary. "Hey wait Boss! This is the chance you've been waiting for!" one shouts after her. "Her chance for what?" asks Drogo panting, "What do you mean?"

Drogo hears the tapping of flesh and turns around. A Ranger is tapping her Fransisca in her palm, "To bad for you little boy. Looks like you'll be finding out from the witch and her familiar personally what's been really happening this whole time." Drogo turns around in circles watching the Mithras surround him drawing their weapons.

Zelig lifts his head when he hears the screaming in the hallway outside his room. "That's Major Viki's voice!" he thinks. Frightened out of his sorrow, he tries to get down off the table. His leg collapses under him and he tumbles to the ground screaming. Undaunted, he crawls towards the door grimacing and moaning all the way.

The door opens into the hallway and Zelig stumbles out using one of the chairs as a makeshift crutch. "Major!" he shouts looking around for her. He turns around and sees a group of Mithras behind him kneeling on the ground. "Major!" He starts to hobble over as fast as he can. The girls all turn around, but Major can't even twist her neck. The last few steps Zelig stubbles in his haste and falls. He scuttles on his elbows along the floor, dragging his body over to the Major.

"Zelig?! What are you doing here?" She looks him over, "W…Why are you in that gown?" "Where have you been?" Zelig asks surprised. "I…I've been here in the Infirmary all day." "What?! Why? What happened?" "Where have you been?" Major Viki echoes surprised.

Seeing Viki trying to restrain her daughter, Lord Narcisse put the tip of his sword under Viki's chin with no concern to the fact that the edge of the sharpened blade rests at the throat of the thrashing child. "I knew at if we stationed knights at the hospitals we'd find you heretic. Blood draws you like moths to a flame." Major Viki carefully repositions her hand to protect her. The back of her arm begins to bleed heavily as Star's thrashing pushes her mother's arm into the sword. But she does not flinch. "Will someone take my daughter, please!" she says perfectly calm.

Zelig carefully and gently removes her from danger and quickly scoots away one hand dragging him backwards while the other tries to sturdy the thrashing child. Doctors and nurses come into the hallway. Seeing Zelig a few rush forward. One grabs Star and spirits her away. Others try to lift the hulking Galka but Zelig fights them off, "Don't worry about me save the girl! She has Epilepsy!" A nurse runs after the others to warn them while the others remain still fumbling with Zelig. The young doctor seeing the drawn swords runs towards the rear of the Infirmary. "Where are all the bloody soldiers!" he thinks, "Are they all asleep or something!"

"You have the wrong woman knight," Major Viki finally says now that her daughter is safe. "Don't give me that rubbish, I know your face heretic!" "You may know her face but not her hair, like most males. I do not know why we look like twins but I wear my long hair in a single tail while she wears her hair gathered into two." Lord Narcisse grimaces when he realizes the mistake, "Then where is Bearstar pagan? I know she is here!" "If you mean the screaming from earlier, my daughter is also named Bearstar." Major Viki smiles cruelly, "Has San d'Oria fallen so much that she must mobilize her finest only to kill a babe knight?" she mocks.

"Your people are truly helpless aren't you Lord Narcisse. Can't you do anything right?" Arenk walks forward and stands next to Lord Narcisse. She wags her finger under his nose, "Must I do everything myself?!" "Sister," says Major Viki, "you surprise me. Weren't you the one that said any Mithra who prays to Altana should have their tail cut off to match the asses of her followers?" Arenk turns her nose up to her sister, "And who better to bring justice to an Altanan then another Altanan." "How dare you insult Major Viki like that!" shouts a Mithra. "Major don't just stand there defend yourself!" shouts another.

"Arenk is right" Major Viki says standing up. Lord Narcisse follows her neck up with his sword. "I too believe in Altana but also follow the traditions of my people. Life is begotten from death, whither it comes from a knife separating flesh from bone or a sickle separating the stalk from the roots. You forget that the veal you eat comes from killing infants just taken from the womb and your bread comes from the unborn you grind up into flour." "Silence!" "I will not be silenced!"

Arenk steps back from the two and leans against the wall cackling with pleasure.

"Your missionaries", Major Viki continues her rant, "are hated because they twist our beliefs to trick us into listening to them then demand that we abandon those very beliefs they use to make us listen! Tell me Temple Knight, If Altana created Vana'diel and the five races that inhabit her than doesn't Holy Scripture prove that Vana'diel herself, the very Living Mother we all walk on, and the Five Enlightened are siblings?" Lord Narcisse lowers his sword, "Hold your tongue woman," he says condescendingly pointing at her.

Major Viki continues, "When a mother cannot care for a baby, a wet nurse is found and the child grows up loving the wet nurse thinking she is her mother. When the child is old enough the child is told that their mother is actually another. In San d'Oria, wet nurses are nothing but lowly servants held even worse than the women who bore the child in the first place which is the only reason you deny this truth, because this hatred plugs your ears. You teach your children to hate the woman they had loved, to turn their noses to them and spit in their faces. But with the Mithra, a wet nurse is an honored woman and often either a family member or a close family friend. A younger sister is not unheard of when a baby comes unexpectedly in the setting years of life. But we do not teach hatred to our children. Our children simply gain a second mother to love and to be loved by unconditionally. To love Altana and to love the Living Mother along with our other siblings, both flora and fauna alike, is not a fallacy but a mandate. A Mandate people like yourself have forgotten!" Viki points back at this last sentence.

"You are under arrest for Grand Heresy you worthless cat woman!" The remaining Mithras draw their swords to defend their leader. "I see cats run in prides," a Temple Knight says walking up to the side of Lord Narcisse, "You and your entire kind don't deserve to belong to Enlightened when you refuse to acknowledge your own mother!"

"Stand Down!" Major Viki and Lord Narcisse yell in unison. The knight backs away. "But Major!" protests a mercenary. "Tell me something first, all of you! You we're all very vocal critics back in San d'Oria, or does the fact that a warrior you have fought along side all these years is an Altanan change your perspective?" The Mithras all lower their swords. Some actually throw them to the ground and look away. The Elvaan all raise theirs and take charging stances ready to fight.

Major Viki loosens her sword belt and tosses it to the ground. She raises her arms and takes a stance to show that she is unarmed. She says smiling, "There an all-consuming fire burning in your chest. If your blade thirsts for innocent blood then strike! Your Heart No Longer Serves ALTANA!"

Lord Narcisse swings his blade in a decapitating slash when from the screaming crowd charges The Great Breast of Windurst, Fenrir, knocking everyone down in his path. Pushing Major Viki to the ground using her as a spring board, he lunges at Lord Narcisse biting his head. The Temple Knights drop their swords in terror at the sight of the growling wolf, his coat shimmering like a starry night and teeth dripping with blood as he stands over the corpse of their commander, his neck snapped and throat bitten out.

"May my rage roar as thunder, Ramuh!" Gamesage comes running through the gap in stunned crowd, a stolen staff held over his shoulders like a baseball bat ready to swing. Suddenly in a mighty crack, the avatar of lightning, Ramuh appears and races behind him. The knights run it terror down the hall and they all disappear around a corner. The crowd hears Gamesage yell, "Ramuh, Judgment Bolt!"

Everyone covers their ears as a deafening thunder clap shatters the stunned silence. Arenk, seeing all of this, takes the moment to slip away in the opposite direction. A Taru in the crowd finally breaks the silence, "But how can a Summoner control two avatars at once? That's not possible."

Fenrir spits the blood from his mouth, chews on a broken plant in the hallway, shakes his head violently, then rubs his snout with his paw. "I hate the taste of blood," he says to himself turning to the crowd. "Lord of the Moon wait!" Viki screams arm outstretched as she lies on the ground. She prostrates herself in submission. "Mighty Fenrir, the Tarus say they seek visions of the future through your blessing. May I please beseech you on the death of my daughter, Mighty Lord!"

"Death comes to all mortals. There is no need to ask about an immutable fact of existence." "My Lord Please! That is not what I meant. I mean the timing of the death and whether she will suffer!" "There is no such thing as a life without suffering but if you wish a prophesy I will give one."

Fenrir closes his eyes, "The length of your daughter life is of no consequence to its meaning to those around her. As you love your daughter above the whole world, your daughter will love the world above herself. And through that love she will pierce the emptiness and open the divine gate to peace. Baptized in tears, she will witness the dusk and dawn in warm embrace and give birth to a new hope, for all hope is born in the same manner." Fenrir opens his eyes to look upon a crying mother. "I understand." Fenrir puts his nose to her forehead, "Only a woman such as you could give birth to the Wings of the Goddess."

"I am humbled by your answering of my prayers," a Mithra with a folded sheet wrapped around her like a bath towel struggles with her balance as she walks up through the crowd. She crosses her arms in front of her so her face appears between her hands, fists facing outward, "Release!" she opens her palms. Fenrir vanishes into thin air. Viki turns around and looks up at her savior.

Unencumbered by floppy cloth hats or elaborate jewelry, is a healthy looking, picture perfect mirror image of herself… crying as uncontrollably as she is.


	15. Chapter 14: Atropos' Shattered Shears

**Chapter 14: Atropos' Shattered Shears**

The too brief moment is shattered as Gamesage comes running back the way he came, "Come on Sis we gotta move!" He grabs her by the arm and begins to pull her back the hall. "But the soldiers are that way!" "Something worse is coming the other way! Move it! Move It!" "Where's Little Bear?" is the last thing Major Viki hears her say as they disappear into the chaos. Turning around to see what's chasing them, she sees little Drogo rounding the corner, drenched in blood and holding a Fransisca in one hand and a Kriegsbeil in the other. He drops them seeing Major Viki on the floor. He runs over screaming and crying. He hugs her, "Are you ok? Where's Star? Where's Star!"

Zelig crawls over to them, "Drogo! Drogo over here!" "Zbigniew? What are you doing here?" he sniffles. "Drogo what happened to you? Why are you covered in blood?" asks Major Viki. "I don't know…" he says trembling, "I went to get help… they tried to kill me…" "Who did?" Zelig asks startled. Drogo hugs his Zbigniew, "I killed them! I'm a murderer…I'm sorry…I'm not like him. I drew my blade. I drew my blade…"

Zelig hugs him tight, "No… No your not, listen to me. He also said that the only difference between murders and soldiers is that soldiers only draw there blades in defense to another. If they attacked you then you are no murder, never forget that."

Hume soldiers begin to come into the hallway from the entrance stepping over the bodies of the Elvaans is shock and confusion. "Where is the boy who killed the Mithras?" demands one. He spots Drogo with Zelig and Major Viki. "Restrain them!" he shouts pointing.

The Metalworks is in chaos. Aides and soldiers fight the growing wind briefing the President every few minutes on the embattled day. "So both the Mithra and the Galka have escaped without a trace?" he asks glaring at his aides. "Yes sir," the aide mutters, "And we have no confirmations on their identities, in spite your initial suspicions." "And the progress on the interrogations?"

"The other Temple Knights are still fighting for their lives," starts another aide, "but it appears from the witnesses they mistook Major Viki for the fugitive they have been pursuing." President Prien sighs in disgust and pinches the bridge of his nose, "Has Father Ermenegilde been located yet?" "No Sir," continues the aide, "He has not been seen since the march." "And of the Mithra Viki and Galka Zelig?"

An older Military Police Officer steps up, "Private Zelig is not cooperating well since we began questioning about the possible links between the assailants and his known acquaintances. He has become emotionally unstable, subject to uncontrolled crying fits. He continues to deny everything, even after confronted eyewitness accounts that he and the Galka know each other."

"And Viki Sayma?" he asks. A Scholar steps forward visibly shaken, "The Mithra woman is very disconcerting. She takes everything we give her and puts it back in our faces. Her eyes are piercing, they dig right into you. You can almost feel her inside your head rummaging around." He begins to plead, "I know I sound completely crazy, but you can physically feel her inside, almost controlling you, tugging you into one direction or another."

The officer shakes his head, "Every interrogator we send in to interview her has this same reaction. Even some of her guards tell the same story."

President Prien leans back in his chair, thinking about the stories Ka'ithle Anin told of Viki's strange powers. "Any other unusual happenings concerning Viki Sayma? Even something so impossible it flies in the face of logic?" he asks after a few moments of silence.

"Well… there is one thing…" the only Galka soldier in the room starts. "Then lets here it," Prien demands.

"When the notes were being gathered from the interrogations for the final report, I noticed that when you lay the two transcripts out side by side by the recorded times they match up in both words and physical reactions. I asked if they had been interrogated together but was told they were kept in separate rooms and have had no contact."

Prien turns to the men giving the reports. "Suppose… just suppose… that they would have been in contact, as if they had been in the same room. How would that alter your interpretation of the findings?" "Their identical testimony taken separately concludes that they are speaking the truth, but if they had been in contact then they could have rehearsed their testimony and simply stuck to a script, but we are highly trained to break these criminal tactics," says the officer boasting, "To even come close to such an identical account they would have to be in active conversation changing their own testimony to match the others as they go along which even if they were in the same room together is completely impossible."

Prien taps his hand against his knee with a loud thud each time. He knows the truth, but also knows the limits of Bastokan law.

He pitches his nose again, "And what of the Galka boy?" The Hume officer smiles, "That psychopathic rat is locked in the cells below the Works. I'm only sorry it took the deaths of those women to finally give full justice that boy." Prien sits up in his chair, "That's rather strong language. I hope your report justifies it." "That thing chained to the wall has a long and violent history going back to his rebirth." He takes off his left glove and holds up his hand, his pinky, ring finger and part of his palm are missing, "I know this personally." "What happened?" the President asks surprised.

"Early in my carrier I was saddled with Promathia's Bane, he was Darksteel Hurricane's rival and one of the most dangerous creatures I've ever encountered. My orders were to put him in Port with orders that put him in direct opposition to the smugglers in hopes of either his murder at their hands or force his arrest for corruption. But unfortunately he won the hearts and minds of the dock workers and the crime rate plummeted without any dirty dealings. Our spies within the Tenshodo ranks reported that as much as he was cutting in on their profits, but they feared the reaction by the rabble to his death would be far more costly." "I'll ignore this possible confession for the time being but what does this have to do with young Drogo?"

The officer continues boasting without understanding the meaning behind the President Prien's words, "About twenty-six years ago, there was a string a brutal murders in Port. Of course Promathia was the main suspect and he disappeared without warning shortly afterwards. During the search for him a small Galka was discovered fresh from his rebirth with Promathia's dog tags around his neck." "And that child was Drogo?" Prien interrupts. He nods, "At first even the Galkas didn't believe this, but when we tried to confiscate the tags," he raises his left hand again and wiggles his remaining fingers, "it became obvious to everyone very quickly that this child was Drogo the Demon reborn." "Did he steal a blade?" Prien asks. "No. The blades he used were in his mouth."

"Why didn't the Galkas believe at first that Drogo was Drogo?" "Not that Promathia was a spring chicken, but he was far too young in their opinion to have left on his Journey and the transformation was too quick. Only the rat that later returned the tags to the military on behalf of the child believed him at first. He stated that Promathia had told him of his appending Journey before he left leaving written instructions that he would have his dog tags with him and wished to keep his name for another life. The hand writing was later authenticated."

"And you hold this babe responsible for his previous existence?" Prien glares at him. Once again his intent goes unnoticed by the officer, "Even without his past sins, the child has a lengthy history of his own. Today's investigations are included in his complete file on your desk."

The officer points at file on his desk. Even though it is only an arrest record and synopsis with routing numbers to locate the stored case files, it is immense, chronicling twenty-five years of violence. Prien skims though it. Accused thefts levied by other Galkas, pitched fights of vigilante justice and detailed descriptions of other brutal assaults, Prien rubs his face in disbelief that such a young boy could have survived the swings of axes and great swords so long on his own. The file thins dramatically after the age of thirteen, like he dropped off the face of Vana'diel. The officer smiles, "I am glad you realized what a true danger to the Republic this rat presents."

He sees Prien take up his quill and a spare piece of parchment and copies something down. He turns and hands it to an aid, "This is the routing number for a missing file. Go search for it and see if it is there." The aide takes it and leaves. Going to lift the next page, he feels something underneath. Prien pulls the hemp string and discovers a mythril ring. "What's this?" he asks examining it. "That is the evidence of the most recent theft investigation, the appraiser has yet to identify the stone, but the mythril itself is worth quite a bit."

Prien closes his fist around the ring, "And who has made this accusation?" he says with a hint a rage. "No one. The ring was discovered by the doctors treating a Mithra girl. She must have been still dazed from her seizure. She said it belonged to Drogo's tulip. But in spite the thoroughness of our interrogators he has yet to divulge its true origins. Is stubbornness is quite infuriating to the men." "And what is his story?" Prien glares at him. "He claims it's the wedding band of Promathia's wife of all things."

The room goes deathly silent, everyone it total shock on hearing something they never even conceived possible. Prien lowers his arm and places his hands together on the table, "So I take it you have not investigated the marriage certificates granted on the date inscribed on this ring?" The room changes from dead silence to roaring laughter in an instant. Several men, including the officer, start to hyperventilate.

Prien completely disgusted turns back to the file. He holds up a strange piece of paper. His face distorts into rage as he reads it. He tries to calm his face as he lays it down, "Can someone go fetch the Mythril Musketeers. I have an assignment for them before I forget in this mess." "Yes sir. I'll fetch them right away," an aide goes to leave, when he opens the door a gust of wind throws him backwards and fills the building. The poor aide sighs dejectedly and runs into the deluge.

"I take it that this sheet is the confession to the murders of the Mithras?" Prien asks the officer. "Yes Sir," he says proudly. "The grammar and spelling is quite poor and there is a symbol in place of the signature?"

"The law requires a verbatim transcript of a suspect's confession. Galkas are an uneducated breed, they are even worse than the brigands in Port." "Then the symbol is the boy's mark?" he continues. "Yes your Excellency. There is a proper translation of the confession as well included with the rest of the interrogation documents if you have difficulty understanding it." "No I understand it fully," Prien says with a straight face. Another gust of wind blows through the building. Volker shakes and folds a leather tarp as the rest of the Mythril Musketeers dry their feet.

"Mythril Musketeers reporting for duty," Captain Klara salutes. "Good, for starters place the Military Police in this room under arrest, Immediately!"

"What? What is this!" he says as Zeid twists his arm behind his back and forces him to the floor. President Prien stands abruptly, "For filing a false report for starters!" He waves the confession, "I've had the pleasure of meeting young Drogo, and he is one of the most articulate Galkas I have ever met and is fully literate!"

Volker runs into the room, "Drogo! What's happened to the boy?" Prien sits back down, "He was arrested after a fatal altercation with the Mithras. You are to take over full control of the investigation." He writes out a change of authority order and hands it to Volker, "He is being held in the dungeons below." "A boy down there!" Volker turns tail and runs out into the rain without the slightest hesitation of getting wet.

"Captain Klara," Prien continues, "I also want you to collaborate on a related investigation." He holds up the ring, "This ring is reportedly the wedding band of the wife of Drogo's previous self. You are to confirm this story and return this ring to its rightful owner."

Down in the Works, Volker is looking over the authorization. The edges are damp but the important parts are dry. He comes to the iron gate. "State your business," says the Hume guard. "I have official orders from the President," Volker slips the paper through the bars. The Hume looks it over. "Right this way," he slips the document back through the bars and opens the door. He is lead through the depths of the jail, mostly full of Beastmen and some heckling Galkas.

"Hey shut it!" Volker's guide bangs hit his baton across the bars. "Yep, these are the worst of the worst in Bastok," he begins as he swaggers down the hall, "If that monster the Galkas worship as a hero is ever caught alive, this is where we'll sent him here before we string him up."

The smell of the whale oil lamps are sickening. Volker tries hard not to dry heave as he speaks, "Why is the boy down here?" The guard looks at him in disbelief, "The rat's a serial killer. Butchered eight defenseless women with an axe." He points towards the end with his baton, "It's at the end of the hall there in the solitary cells. Now you just missed the interrogators. They left to get more advanced tools. Now that thing's a hard nut to crack, even the turtles start singing a long time ago. You're gonna have your work cut out here."

Volker's face turns blank for a moment, "Advance to…" He takes off down the hall, even faster than he ran into the rain. "What are you doing?" the guard asks surprised seeing Volker glancing through the peepholes one by one. He finally finds a familiar silhouette. "Open the door! Open the door now!"

The door swings open. Upon hearing the noisy iron latch Drogo quickly slips down into place. He is naked, bruised and battered, eyes swollen shut, slowly spinning from his shackles suspended from the ceiling. Designed for adult Galkas, cobbled together wooden shackles at his wrists keep him from slipping through. But either in their haste or underestimating the small boy, they neglect putting wooden blocks below. Drogo has discovered he can slip his arms completely through well past his elbows. Though experimentation, he's found a "relatively" comfortable position where he can lift his body up easing the suffocating weight on his chest. He feigns weakness.

"Drogo!" Someone comes behind him and gently lifts him taking the stress from his shoulders. He cradles him like an infant. "Unlock his chains! And where are the medics!" he hears. "The interrogators have the keys with them." Drogo hears surprise in this voice. The one carrying him turns around facing the other. "Then fetch the medics!" "They…are assisting the interrogators" This time there is a hint of fear in the other's voice. "What! Why?"

Drogo's heart skips a beat, confused and frightened at the blistering rage. "Why would they need to be here now? Their purpose is only to keep the prisoner alive enough during the process to extract the information," says the other voice as confused as he is. "Go find them! And send orders to the upper level to prepare a room exclusively for the child!"

"The upper level?" the voice says in total shock, "for this rat serial killer?" "The Mythril Musketeers are now in full control! Obey me now!" "Yes sir!" The other voice disappears in a clatter of boot steps.

"It's alright now boy. It's me Volker. Remember from the Fomor?" Drogo can almost hear him smile. He starts to whimper. "Don't cry Drogo please. You'll cause an infection and you'll never see again. You're safe now, it's ok. Please don't cry." "Star? Where is she? What happened?" "She's recovering from a fit, but is ok. Major Viki and Zelig are also recovering from their injuries." "Zbigniew? Zelig, what happened?" "He was stabbed in the leg, but everything is alright now don't worry about a thing."

Volker fights back his own emotions watching the little puffy face nod. "Drogo…you need to tell me what really happened with those Mithras, please…we can't get you out of here otherwise unless you tell me the truth." "I don't… I don't remember…" he whimpers. "Sure you do. Start at the beginning. What were you doing in Markets before hand?"

"We were in Port playing when Star fainted. When she woke up she said she can see the future and saw the Elvaans kill Viki at the Infirmary so we went to warn her but the Elvaans where already there." Drogo starts to hyperventilate.

"Calm down, just stay with me. What happened next?" "I went for help. I saw Star's Aunt Arenk with some Mithras. I thought they would help but they tried to kill me…" Drogo starts to cry, "It was them! They we're trying to kill Viki and Star the whole time… they even got them in trouble in San d'Oria on purpose and got the knights after them."

"Stop crying Drogo please…" pleads Volker, "So you're saying Arenk and some of the Copperheads have been plotting to kill them this whole time?" Drogo nods. "And they told you this?" Drogo nods again. "Why?" "I was trying to run away, but they got me. I asked why they were trying to kill me and not save them…"

"So they attacked you? To stop you from warning Viki?" Drogo whimpers "yes…" softly. "What happened next?" "I got mad…" he mutters. "What happened after you got mad?" "I got dizzy…" Drogo whimpers. "Then what?" Drogo starts to wail, "I don't know!" Volker tries to no avail to calm the frantic child. The guard returns with some men, "Sir! These are the men you wanted!" he shouts over the screams. "Medic! Heal this boy completely! Start with his eyes! Now!"

The adult shirt Drogo is given drapes all over the floor. Volker carefully rolls up the sleeves and gently locks the new shackles into place on the sniffling boy. "Ok Drogo one more time. How many fingers am I holding up?" Drogo looks up from his chains, his face healed if nothing else.

"I see your left index, middle and pinky up," he whimpers. "Ok now follow my finger again." Volker moves his index finger up and down, left to right in a cross pattern. "Good," he says putting his right hand on Drogo's ear. He runs his thumb over his left eyebrow feeling the fresh scar he knows the boy is still unaware of marring his face, "Now be a good boy while I'm gone. I need to tell the President what you told me, then I can get you out of here and to a proper doctor." Drogo nods quietly and watches Volker leave and lock the iron gate on his new cell. Finding himself completely alone, he sits down and hugs his knees trying not to cry again like Volker told him.

Volker comes in out of the rain. Even from the hallway, he can here President Prien screaming.

"Were they spying on us as well?"

"We don't know your Excellency," starts a newly wet aide, "All we know is that the Tyrian Wolves were in linkshell communication with San d'Oria, and they have beaten us to the Allied Council. The Archduke is furious and is sending some of his personal aides, some Armathrwn Society, to head what they are already calling an "Assassination Query". "Sir, Volker has just returned," the Galkan soldier interrupts. "Well lead him in."

"They did what!" Prien stands slamming his fists into his desk. Volker nods. The President slumps back into his chair. "Sir we have to do something," Volker pleads. "There's nothing to be done," Zeid says looking at the ground. Volker turns to him, "How can you say that!" "He's right…" Prien sighs. Volker turn back to him. "I know exactly how you feel… but we're going to have enough trouble convicting those men on filing a false report. Remember the mockery of the judicial system that happened after the incident with the Fomor?"

Volker looks at the ground. He clinches his fists. Prien sees this, "Look maybe someday when the laws change and allow Galkas on juries then real justice will come to Bastok, but until then… Volker please continue. What did the boy say?" Volker looks back up, "Drogo said Major Viki's sister Arenk and some of the Copperheads have been trying to murder her and Star for some time. They have been working with the Temple Knights to achieve this. When Drogo interfered with the incident at the Infirmary, he was attacked by the Mithras. It was self-defense." "The mauling of the Mithra doesn't point to simple self-defense," Prien says. "Drogo claims he doesn't remember. All he knows is he got mad and the next thing he remembers the Mithras were dead." Prien sees Zeid huff and look away. "Zeid, you have something to add to the conversation?" "It's nothing your Excellency." "Zeid… I order you to speak what you were thinking."

Zeid sighs, "I was remembering Promathia's Bane. One of the reasons he was so feared was that he was subject to blind rages were he knew neither friend or foe." He looks at the President and shakes his head, "If the boy has inherited that temper, Altana save him, then the cruelty inflicted on those women is not beyond him."

"I see," Prien says tapping his fingers on the desk. "Sir you can't hold that against the boy," pleads Volker. "I have no intention to," he says looking up from his hand. "Thank you," Zeid whispers. Prien continues, "That matches what we know. That Arenk has been cooperating with San d'Oria for months now. Brutality aside, this vindicates the boy. Once the ring in authenticated, all that's standing between Drogo and freedom is paperwork… at least until the Jeuno delegation gets here."

"I thought I heard something about that when I can in. May I ask?" Volker requests. Prien leans forward putting his hands together on his desk, "San d'Oria has gone to the Allied Council and convinced them that this was an assassination. A delegation from Jeuno will arrive here in four days, barring weather to do a separate investigation. Their decision will be final and binding for the sake of the Alliance. I've released the surviving Temple Knights on their orders and also the Mithras to cover our behinds in this. Once word reaches Windurst this is going to get even bigger."

Two aides come in, one wet. "Sir, Captain Klara has returned," says the dry one. Prien nods, "Show her in. And you? What is your message." The wet one salutes, "Sir Father Ermenegilde has been located. He and a group of civilians have entered the Metalworks to report missing children. They are searching for the Galka child Drogo and the Mithra girl Star. They are being detained in the Chapel at the request of the Father to avoid scaring the children in their company."

And who are these civilians?" Prien asks. "Three woman and two children. The eldest is Josephine Gutenberg-Doek, her teenage granddaughter Azurella Doek, Josephine's sister-in-law Bluesky Gutenberg and her young children, a boy Ceddie and daughter Blueice. They also identify themselves as the owners of the fishing vessel the 'Iceberg' and Private First-Class Zelig's civilian employer." Prien leans back into his chair wide-eyed and Volker and Zeid just glance at each other. "Your orders sir?" asks the wet aide. "One moment…" He looks at the dry aide, "Bring Captain Klara in now."

She comes in with a leather wrapped file, "Sir, I've located the marriage certificate in question along with a few other documents of interest." "It took you longer than expected?" Prien asks. "The initial file was not in its proper place or were I believed an innocent misfile would be lost. Only after I took in the possibility of a deliberate attempt to hide this that I discovered it." "Is that your official statement?" "Yes your Excellency. There is no way that file could have ended up there without someone placing it there on purpose."

Prien opens the file. The first document is the marriage certificate. "This document bears the watermark of the San d'Oria Temple?" he says looking up. "Read on your Excellency," Commander Klara nods.

He continues, "'I, Friar Ermenegilde…' A Friar Ermenegilde?" He glances back up briefly then returns to the certificate, "'hereby bind these two individuals within the love of Altana. Let no mortal separate these souls for no love is greater… blah, blah, blah…"

He scans the document, "Here we go the husband… 'Drogo of the House of Galka of the Republic of Bastok  to whom the titles and honors inherited and bestowed are: First Sergeant upon the date… Mythril Wings… Mythril emblem…'" he pauses, "Hmm… for such a reviled man he was highly decorated…" He continues, "And the wife is… 'Blue…" Prien goes wide-eyed again, "Blue… Blueice…" He back looks up at Captain Klara, "Blueice Gutenberg?" She nods, "I also checked the birth certificates filed with the marriage license application. She was the missing daughter. And the certificate provided for the husband is a "Certificate of Rebirth" proving Drogo was a Galka as stated."

Prien returns to the document, "There are titles listed under the wife…" He continues to read aloud, " 'Joseph upon the date…' Joseph? Ok… that's weird… 'Commo…' Commodore? And the Metal of Altana!"

"What you have got to be kidding?" says Volker as shocked as the president, "the Great Commodore Gutenberg was a girl?" "And what is the matter with that?" asks Captain Klara scowling at him. "Nothing Ma'am…" he hangs his head.

"So the disobedient son from Norg who led the slave revolt, taught them to sail, then managed to dock properly at Selbina was actually a little girl… That actually makes sense if you think about it," says Zeid, "If memory serves he was the only male among the women rescued from their fate of slavery and prostitution in the Far East." "What about the manifests? A girl named Blueice from Bastok was never found?" asks the President still in shock.

"An aristocrats' daughter should have been literate," says Captain Klara, "If she was capable enough to take that ship from seasoned pirates with nothing but kitchen maids then she should have been smart enough to forge a single page then burn another. We are talking about the Great Commodore here. Think about it, Joseph Gutenberg, she took her grandmother's name and became a cabin boy at sea, the last place someone would look for her."

"We are just speculating from a single document…" Prien says trying to regain his composer. Captain Klara shakes her head, "No. When I saw that I looked through the Commodore's papers. They are in there as well." Prien glances underneath the marriage certificate at the other papers. "When looking into it, I saw that immediately after "Joseph's Justice" law became effective she began receiving Commodore Joseph Gutenberg's full Navy pension until the day she died and her son and stepson received his death benefits.

"I'm sorry 'Joseph's Justice'?" he quizzes. "The Gutenberg Women's Act of 766," she corrects, "It gave women the right to openly serve in the military and retroactively restored benefits to living women who could prove they served." "Ah, yes… but the retroactive measures where never funded by the senate and also made it impossible for them to retrieve their files as evidence," Zeid scowls feeling empathetic rage. "I know," she turns to him, "But this woman… She _did_ manage to prove and earn a pension. And the man's who the law was named after on top of that, the one that mysteriously retired at the height of his career four months to the day that her son was born."

President Prien goes to close the file when something catches his eye. "Private Zelig's name is on this document," Prien says looking up again from the certificate, "He's listed as the son of the husband?"

"I looked into it as well. Normally a Galkan child is only listed as a legal guardianship if at all by his caretaker, but Promathia went one step further and did a full adoption." "That's unheard of," says Zeid, "and against tradition. To take ownership of a fellow Galka. We are all brothers looking out for each other. Never taking superiority over our children." Captain Klara turns to Zeid, "I know, but for whatever reason, he did it. There is also financial proof of this as he got paid at her death as her stepson."

Prien turns to the wet aide, "Which of the women with Father Ermenegilde is the oldest?" "Josephine is," he answers. "Bring both her and Father Ermenegilde here for questioning." "Yes, Sir," he salutes and leaves the room. "You three go with him. Try to keep them as dry as possible." They leave the room without saluting.

Volker grabs the tarp. "You alright Zeid?" Captain Klara asks. Zeid shakes his head, "I never liked Promathia. But I never thought he'd fall so far. But the more I think about it…" Volker holds the tarp over his head, "Come on Zeid, the sooner we get this done, the sooner we can rescue that little boy and take him home." He nods solemnly and grabs the tarp.

About ten minutes later, they return. Volker again fumbles with the drenched tarp while Father Ermenegilde and Josephine fold the piece of canvas they brought with them. Volker notices the ease that the water runs off the cloth leaving it almost perfectly dry. "Excuse me ma'am, but where did you find such a fine piece of canvas?"

Josey looks confused, "What? You mean this?" she holds up the folded canvas, "This is nothing but old duck craps." "Duck scraps ma'am?" Volker asks. "You've never been around boats have you young sir? Duck is sailing cloth. My husband was a good match back in the day, but with the military and now the fishing fleet switching to steam his family is in the same lot as the rest of us."

"Let me take that for you," Volker walks over and takes it from her. She bows. "This way please," Zeid leads them inside. Volker stays behind briefly feeling the fabric in his hand, "Duck cloth…This is called duck cloth…" He puts the fold down carefully and follows. "Duck cloth…Quack Quack…Duck cloth…" he thinks over and over again in his mind trying to remember.

"Please sit down," Prien motions for them to sit. Josey is visibly frightened. Father Ermenegilde is nervous as well. "I have two things to question you on separately Father, but first… if my information is correct…" He holds up the ring, "Then you will…" Prien doesn't even get to finish his sentence. Josey leaps from her seat and snatches the ring from his fingers. Prien, Father Ermenegilde, and the Musketeers hold his guards at bay as they draw their swords instinctively as she lunges forward. After they sheave their blades, they all watch not knowing what to think as Father Ermenegilde tries to calm the frantic elderly woman rocking on her knees forwards and back shouting incoherent prayers to Altana holding the ring over her heart.

After several minutes Father Ermenegilde calms her enough to sit back in her chair but she is still leaning forward weeping uncontrollably. He rubs her back whispering in her ear. "Well…" President Prien sits back down. "I guess you will be answering all my questions Father. Before I tell you what we know, please tell us what you know of the ring for confirmation." "It is her grandmother's wedding band," Father Ermenegilde says looking up from Josey, "It has been missing for a quarter of a century. How did you find it?" Prien pulls the marriage certificate from the file and hands it to him, "They I assume that you are also the Friar Ermenegilde listed on this document?"

Father Ermenegilde closes his eyes after glancing at it, "Yes…yes I performed this ceremony in the name of the Holy Temple back as a simple Friar." "Then you authenticate all information on this document all correct and legal?" "Yes," he hands it back to the President, "I filled out that form myself. It is my handwriting." Prien studies his face, "You seem surprised to see your work again, Father?" "Why do you believe that?" Father Ermenegilde returns his stare with his own.

"That is of no matter at this point," he turns to Josey, "Mrs. Josephine, please. Can you authenticate this ring for us? It's very important." She nods, "Yes… Yes this is Grammy's wedding ring. I'd know this Altepa moonpebble anywhere." "A moon pebble?" Zeid says surprised.

"Zeid, what is a moon pebble?" Prien orders. "Altepa moonpebbles are sacred, only Altana is greater for a Galka." "I guess that proves more than any document the truth of that ring then," Volker says, "Permission to start the release paperwork?" "Absolutely, don't even wait for the ink to dry before getting Drogo home."

Josey sits up. "Drogo? What's happened?" Father Ermenegilde blurts out stumbling over his own syllables. Prien leans over the table and folds his hands together. "Drogo was taken into custody after a fatal altercation with the Mithras. He has been cleared as an act of self-defense." Prien then sighs, "But during the questioning the ring came to light and the interrogators not satisfied with the boys answers resorted to enhanced techniques without authorization. You have this nation's sincerest apologies and he is receiving full medical care as we speak."

Josey goes into hysterics again.

"Volker please escort Mrs. Josephine out of the room, I need to question Father Ermenegilde on further matters." "Permission to retrieve the boy?" Zeid asks unexpectedly. "Of course, assist Volker then once done release the boy."

They leave the room, and President Prien pulls out another file, "I need you to identify two tattoos if you can." He hands him two drawings, "I was told by doctors that they resemble a tattoo common with the Temple Knights."

He examines both drawings. He rubs his face trying to hide his expression. He knows exactly what he's looking at, but is trying to conceal it. "These do resemble the Wings of Altana mark in the fact that they are bird wings, but these are both very different." He hands them back, "I'm sorry, I cannot help you."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes… if you will pardon me…" He lifts his robe and sticks if left arm through the head whole, "I know my old age as distorted it somewhat, but as you can see it is completely different." Unable to see what's happening in the room, the Elvaan prays in his head. "Yes…" Prien says after studying it for a few extended moments, "Yes it is completely different. Thank you for your assistance. You may leave and wait for Drogo. I'm sure he will need your guidance after this ordeal." Father Ermenegilde adjusts his robes, "Thank you your Excellency, May the Goddess bless you and this country."

After the door closes, Prien sighs sulking in his chair. "May I ask what's troubling you Sir?" Captain Klara asks. "With the doctor's testimony invalidated there's no longer a provable link between the assailants and the fugitive Bearstar and acquaintances." He sits back up, "Release Viki Sayma and Private Zelig. If the delegation wishes to interview them for themselves then we have a permanent address to ease our search now."

An aide comes in, "Sir a soldier here has an urgent report you must hear." "Show him in." A drenched soldier comes into the office. "What's your urgent report soldier?" Prien asks leaning back in his chair. "I honestly don't know Sir," he says nervously, "When I gave what I thought was a simple report to my superiors I was brought here." "Then state you report soldier," Prien nods.

"Witnesses reported someone falling from the drawbridge into the harbor. There's no trace of the victim." He hands the President a wrapped package, "This was found on the bridge near where the victim fell and is the reason I was bought here." Prien begins to unwrap it. "Sir may I ask its significance?" the solder asks as Prien gets his first good look at the contents. He sits a teddy bear on his desk, as confused as the soldier.

Drogo is in a dungeon, shackled and chained to the wall. He lifts his head as he hears a familiar voice say "Let me pass". The door to the cell is unlocked and opened. "Zeid? That you?" Zeid takes a step back catching sight of the scar when Drogo steps into the light. Zeid points at the Drogo, "Unchain him now!"

Zeid leads Drogo through the prison. "Where are you taking me?" "I'm taking you home, Drogo. You are free to go." "Really?" Drogo asks excited. "Yes, all the witnesses stated that the Mithras where trying to kill you and that it was self-defense." "But about what I said about Arenk? Is she going to prison?"

Zeid shakes his head, "No… even if you were a Hume, the word of a child isn't worth anything to the courts and with everyone either dead or not cooperating. There is no evidence to hold her. And even if there was, the politics with San d'Oria would never allow it. Even if she had her own personal reasons, she was cooperating fully with the Temple Knights in a criminal investigation." "But she tried to kill Viki!"

"I believe you, Drogo. But there's nothing to be done. She will probably be marching with the rest of the Mithras to Tavnazia once the storm clears." Zeid sees Drogo clench is fists.

"Boy, please listen to the advice of an old Galka." Drogo doesn't even look up. "Justice can be hard to find in this world. The cruelty of it all can make the most placid of us go blind with rage. But you cannot let that rage destroy your good judgment. Don't take the law into your own hands. Don't take you rage out on that woman. It's not worth it." "I know that," Drogo says still not looking up, "Zbigniew said 'The Demon' said the only difference between murders and soldiers is that soldiers don't draw their swords first but only in defense to another." "I see," Zeid sighs.

"You're a brave young man," he says after a long pause, "maybe one day you'll be in the Mythril Musketeers just like me." "Naw, I don't want to be a soldier," Drogo says as they come to the final gate. "Will it ever go way?" he asks looking up at Zeid as it is opened for them. Drogo's wet face tells him exactly what "it" is without passing words.

Zeid shakes his head, "No, but in a way, that's a good thing. To kill without emotion is a sign of true evil. But don't let it rot your soul either. Every person who's ever taken up a weapon must find some medium between the two, that's a path all warriors must travel." Zeid takes a few steps then turns around when Drogo doesn't follow.

"I know you probably won't answer this…" Drogo mumbles, "But did he ever find his? How he do it?" "Every life is new Drogo," Zeid sighs, "Whatever he achieved or not has no basis for your life. But if you must know I don't know how he got there. I left Bastok for a time. But something he said before I left has stayed with me." Drogo looks up at his face. "We were rivals, equal in skill but there was one difference. He had trouble sleeping. Many of us teased him over it but he would say it doesn't matter what you do while you're asleep but what you do while awake that's important. I always thought he was trying to save face, but now I understand what he meant."

"That's kinda what I asked Star to do. You remember her?" He nods, "What did you ask her?" "I asked her to keep waking up in the morning for me." Zeid nods again, "That's a good thing to ask, but remember you need to wake up in the morning as well to greet her. Do you understand?" Drogo nods and walks forward again.

They walk into the light of the Metalworks. After Drogo eyes adjust, he sees Major Viki holding Star standing next Zelig on crutches. Josey, Bluesky and the children, and a woman he doesn't know are there too. And Father Ermenegilde as well. They all wave. Drogo runs to them and everyone takes turns hugging. Zeid sees Josey gives something to Drogo. Drogo then motions to Viki and she lowers Star to the ground. He sees him put the ring back on her finger. They hug.

"Now that's a sight you don't see every day," Volker says walking up from behind, "The races all together like that. I hope they'll be more of them." He puts his hand on Zeid's shoulder, "Come on lets get back to duty."

They begin to walk away. "You alright?" Volker asks. "I was just reminded of a Journey that never set well with me." "May I ask why?" Zeid shakes his head, "It doesn't matter. Whatever he confessed to Werei before he left so suddenly is none of my concern or of any use." Zeid takes one last look back at the happy group. "You'll grow up to be a fine Galka, just like he was… and better than I'll ever be," Zeid whispers, but the crack of thunder consumes his words.


	16. Chapter 15: The Grand Heresy of Hope

**Chapter 15: The Grand Heresy of Hope**

Prien is being stared down by three hooded figures. He can almost feel their eyes piecing his chest. "So your conclusion is that the Mithra the San d'Orians have been hunting is dead?" asks the one on the right. Prien swallows nervously, "Yes… witnesses differ on whether for no apparent reason she either stopped and jumped, or started to stagger and tripped, but all agree that it was a Mithra in White Mage gear that fell into the water. And there is also the toy found. The name Bearstar was found embroidered on its jacket and instructions to return to an address in Windurst Woods if found. The description of the fugitive in the warrant explicitly states she is never without a teddy bear as a distinguishing feature."

"And the body discovered in the harbor?" asks the one on the left. "The body was discovered entangled in a crab trap in the tidal regions near the mouth of the harbor after that Goddess awful gale. It was half eaten, the skull almost picked clean, but the coroner report concludes it was a Mithra female approximately the same age and height as both Bearstar and the description of the drowning victim."

"And the clothing?" asks the one in the middle. "There was nothing identifiable. When crabs get after something there is almost nothing left. We were lucky to find enough of it to piece her back together as much as we did."

"How long did the coroner conclude the body had been submerged?" asks the one in the right. "That is beyond our ability to determine. Has Jeuno advanced so far that such things can be measured?"

"Where is the body now?" asks the one on the left. Prien squirms in his chair. "The body was cremated yesterday according to Mithran custom. Please understand… We nearly had a riot on our hands dealing with them after word reached them of the body. By their beliefs there's only a brief period of time for the death rights to be performed to prevent the soul becoming an undead. With the body properly identified it wasn't seen as an issue."

"Who disposed of the corpse?" asks the one on the right. "Other than a few observers to confirm the cremation, the only people there were Major Arenk and her guards and Private First-Class Zelig, a recovering Galka soldier." "For such a 'riot' as you put it, it was a small funeral," says the one on the left. "Altanans are not beloved among the Mithras. It was their fear of the undead that drove it. Viki Sayma is suspected of witchcraft. They wanted the body destroyed before anything could be done. Private Zelig is a personal friend of Viki Sayma. He was there in her stead."

"And you find no evidence that Bearstar and Gamesage were involved in the death of Lord Narcisse?" "No, nothing that would hold in court…" "We are the court here," all three say in step. The identical cadence begins to visibly disturb some of the aides. "Continue," they say all at once again.

"Bearstar is a known Altanan, a doctor reported the Mithra in question had a tattoo that resembled the Wings of Altana worn by San d'Orian soldiers but on later investigation the marks were completely different. The images are in the files." "Another fact you find insignificant?" says the one on the right. "Gamesage is known for his blood pacts with the sleeping gods, but Bearstar has no history and it was the Mithra in question not only defeated the soldiers with the Ice goddess but also ordered a wolf called Fenrir to kill Lord Narcisse."

The three fall silent for a time but do not move. "Blood pacts with the gods and a wolf named Fenrir you say? Who confirmed this?" "The Tarutaru witnesses," Prien answers, "They call this type of magic Summoning, but beyond that they would not say much, only that to summon the gods is almost unheard of."

"Did Fenrir speak at all?" asks the one in the middle. "Yes he did, before he vanished he said something the Tarutaru call a Reading, some type of prophesy power he has."

"What was the prophesy?" they all say at once. "It was about Viki Sayma's daughter, also called Bearstar," Prien taps his fingers on the table, "Something about opening a gate. I don't know the exact words off the top of my head." "What information do you have on the younger Bearstar? It may shed light on Fenrir's words."

"Quite a bit actually," Prien says leaning forward, "The superstitions surrounding Viki Sayma and her daughter have been the source of a great deal of conflict within the Copperheads that has turned violent on several occasions. With the repercussions of any actions involving Windurst, I prepared a report to be presented to the Allied Council."

The three are silent for a few moments. "We will study both your reports and present our findings to the Council," the middle one says finally. They turn around and leave the room without formalities.

In the room prepared for them, hours pass in silence to the unnerving of the soldiers assigned to guard the dignitaries as they read page after page. (Baptized in tears,) soul whispers the one in the middle. (Peirce the Emptiness,) soul whispers the one on the left. (Open the Gate,) soul whispers the one on the right.

(A girl with an affinity with the minds of the dead,) soul whispers the one on the right. (A girl who can detect a presence past advance sneak and invisible spells without effort,) soul whispers the one on the left. (A girl that can sense the immediate future,) soul whispers the one in the middle.

(A mother with an affinity with the Beastmen,) soul whispers the one in the middle. (A mother rumored to read the minds of others,) soul whispers the on the left. (A mother rumored to talk through her mind,) soul whispers the one on the right.

(May be another case of an incomplete whisper among the incomplete souls,) soul whispers the on the right. (We should confirm this,) soul whispers the one in the middle. (The child is the safest option. Being of a ruling clan, the mother may have some education on these matters,) soul whispers the one on the left. (Of course, an overactive imagination is an excellent cover if she can see at any depth within us. And age will dissolve most of these memories,) soul whispers the on the right. (And with Fenrir's Reading on the girl future, we must confirm if she is capable to become a vessel of light in spite her fallen nature,) soul whispers the one in the middle.

They all stand unexpectedly in unison, startling their guards. They walk over. "We wish to take a break from the analysis," says the one in the middle. "We wish to explore your city," says the one on the left. "We wish to go alone, so we way discuses our findings without interference," says the one on the right.

Exiting the Metalworks they see a group of children near the barracks. A Galka soldier with a cane is leaning against the wall uncomfortably with a Galka boy sitting next to him close enough to cuddle but not touching his leg. Toy instruments lay about, with a Mithra girl soloing on a bamboo flute. The tune is off by quite a bit, but the can hear her singing loudly, (It all began with a stone, or so the legend says…). They listen to her for a time. (So the first verse of S^tona has survived,) they soul whisper among themselves. (However, this age will not last…) she continues. (And the second verse as well?) soul whispers the one on the left. (Indeed, but the first two verses were known to the greater populous,) soul whispers the one in the middle. (The babe is better educated…) the one on the right begins. (That world was called Vana'diel...) suddenly Star continues on and the petrified faces of the Delegates flinch.

"That is an interesting song your playing," the one in the middle says walking into the light. Everyone turns around and sees the three cloaked figures. "And who are you men?" Zelig walks over with his cane.

"We are official delegates on a mission from Jeuno," says the one in the middle. "We are here to investigate the death of Lord Narcisse D Evanglemagne. I assume from your company that you are the Galka Zelig?" the one on the left says. Zelig swallows hard, "Yes… yes Sirs. I am Zelig."

As they talk Drogo walks over to Star. "I don't like how they feel," he whispers in her ear. Star closes her eyes and raises her arm in front of her. The on the right turns to them, (You have been trained? You're more advanced than we anticipated.) Star jumps backwards and drops her flute. "What's wrong?" Drogo asks. (You have ears too?) she asks startled. (Ears? That name would make sense. Yes I can hear you perfectly.) "Star?" Drogo asks as she picks up her flute. "Bear-Bear?" asks Icie. "He has ears too," she whispers in Drogo's ear. Drogo steps in between her and the cloak man. (That song, where did you learn it?) he asks. (Mommy's friend sang it but she's dead now,) Star sighs and looks at her feet depressed. (The Mithra who fell?) She nods. "Star what is it?" asks one of the other children.

Suddenly an blue amulet falls from the delegate's sleeve. The other two and Zelig glance over hearing the clank. "I got it," Star runs to pick it up. She examines it, "This his pretty." "May I have it back?" he asks holding out his hand, but is palm upright not laid out. Suddenly Star collapses.

"Star!" the other children catch her before she hits her head. The amulet rolls across the ground. "Oh good gracious! Please excuse me." Zelig waddles over. Everyone gathers round, but the three delegates step back. (That girl knows most of the Memoria de la S^tona, but not it's significance,) whispers the one on the right. (She learned it from that Mithra,) soul whispers the one in the middle. (And that woman learned it in Tavnazia. It was good of the Princes to sacrifice that nation,) soul whispers the one on the left.

"Star! Wake up please wake up!" Drogo holds her. Icie looks around and finds the amulet. She picks it up and walks over to Zelig. He looks down feeling someone poking his leg. She holds up the amulet.

"That would be ours," the delegate in the middle holds out his hand, also upright, "May we have it back?" "Here you go," Zelig extends his hand. Suddenly he too feels the rug pulled out from under him and tumbles backwards. He rolls down the steps towards the barracks.

"Zbigniew!" Drogo shouts. The barrack guards run up when Zelig rolls into view. "You're a regular humpy-dumpty now aren't you Zelig?" jokes one of the Galkas helping him up. "Ha ha, very funny," Zelig says sarcastically. He grimaces and moans in pain as he comes upright. He limps over and leans against the wall again. Ceddie picks up the cane, "Here's your cane, Zelig." "Tha~nk sZe~Zeddie," Zelig breaths heavily. He looks down and sees Ceddie's face. Zelig smiles meekly and rubs his hair, "Everything will be fine. Don't worry."

Star blinks awake. "Star? Star you ok?" Drogo asks frantic. "Bear-Bear?" asks Icie. Star looks around trying to catch her bearings. She looks back at Drogo and nods, still with a blank expression on her face. "What happened?" asks Drogo. "Everything got really loud all of a sudden…" she says softly.

"Hey…" begins Zelig, "Can one of you guys take little Star here back to her mother? And don't let any other Mithra touch her until she is placed in her mother's arms. We don't need another incident."

Once Star is safely within the barracks, Zelig turns back to the other children. He sees Drogo carefully kick the amulet into his cap placed on the ground. Then lightly pinching the ends of the stings he holds it up to the delegates, "Hold your hands flat this time." He glares at them. The one on the left takes the bonnet, removes the amulet, then gives it back to the boy, "Thank you child." Even without their powers they can feel his cold stare at there backs as they walk away.

(Though still incomplete, her whisper is quite robust. The prophesy is probable. We must notify the Princes immediately,) soul whispers the one on the left. (He accepts the identification blindly, but he does not feel the breasts of the corpse moved properly under the wrappings to be the fugitive. He justifies it by what he heard of the state of decomposition,) soul whispers the one on the right. (He is also in strong disbelief that her companions would not intervene at such an opportune moment. He is fully aware they are the fugitive and her companions,) whispers the one in the middle. (The boy is not an empty shell. He has a weak whisper of his own, but I feel something deeper within him en potencia,) soul whispers the one on the right. (Yes, he is worth observing,) soul whispers the on the left. (If our research into the Galka creatures indicates a probable trajectory for his further development, we may have stumbled upon a chance to study Proto-Keeper Development outside of theoretical debate,) soul whispers the one in the middle. The one on the left interrupts, (Even without a fully functioning whisper, he suspected The Testament of Affinity. He is extremely perceptive. Any musing over possible research must wait until after the Princes' decision.)

"Drogo why did you kick that pendant like that? That wasn't respectful," Zelig walks over. "I didn't want them doing to me what they did to you and Star," Drogo doesn't turn around to face him but keeps glaring towards the direction the delegates walked off in. "What do you mean?" he asks his ward. "Star said they had ears and when you both fell they had their hands in the same sign she uses when she eavesdrops."

Satisfied that they are gone, he turns around and looks up at Zelig. "They dropped it as an excuse to make that hand sign, but I didn't wanna touch it incase there was something funny with that too." Zelig panics remembering the light headed feeling, "You mean they were!" Drogo nods.

Zelig's legs give way one more time leaving him screaming on the ground.

The cafeteria falls silent as Zelig waddles in. No one helps him carry his tray or gives up a seat for their crippled comrade. Zelig ends up standing in the corner, braced against both walls with his cane hooked around his wrist. He holds is tray in one hand and eats with the other. The conversations slowly pick up again, but not the volume. The Galkas nearby stand up and move to the other side of the room. Some Humes get the hint and also move but most sit still. Zelig can hear every word they say, in spite the whispering.

"What they were doing was no different then us singing patriotic songs over a terrorist's execution," says one, "Like that rat's friend," he nods his head towards Zelig, "If he hadn't escaped." "I don't think it was Gamesage," says the man across from him, "I've met him. He'd die for Zelig. He'd never do something like that." "But he didn't kill him did he?" he answers back pointing his fork in his face, "A demon that killed no one, and a Galka that only stabbed his knee. If it was meant as an attack, it was a poor one. The Beastmen are smarter than that. And didn't you hear the San d'Orians' grumbling over lunch, they think it was Gamesage."

An officer comes in, jumps up on a table and bags two tin plates together. "Everyone! Orders from President Prien!" Everyone stops talking and looks up. "The Archduke has made his ruling! Bastok has been cleared of responsibility for the lord's death! Windurst's Cobra Mercenaries Gamesage and Bearstar are cleared as suspects in his death and are not to be pursued for the crime. Gamesage has also been found innocent of the attack at the march and Bearstar's death by drowning has been confirmed. The ruling is final and binding for all allied nations!" The room erupts in jeers and boos.

The officer bangs the tins again, "Shut up! There's more!" It takes a few minutes for the room to calm down. He continues, "All San d'Orians! Including all civilians! The Papsque has declared all events involving the dead Bearstar Damnatio memoriae!" "…whatever that means," he mumbles.

Zelig can tell the citizenship of the people in the room by the fear on their faces.

"Fellow Bastokers! The President has ordered all conversation about this event to cease immediately. We must look forward to victory and not be distracted by the past. That is all."

After he leaves, the Humes continue with their conversations once more. Its not long until the room is almost completely cleared of Elvaans. One dishwasher makes a spectacle jumping the counter, throwing his apron on the floor, and running out the door with his Galkan boss chasing after him.

"I wonder what his problem is?" the first Hume says pointing with his fork towards the door. "I don't like this," says a man two to his left, "All the Elvaans are freaking out, San d'Orian or otherwise." The man in-between them nods, "Yeah this is almost as creepy as when the knights were singing hymns of glory over someone's death."

"You have good instincts Bastoker! Yes, praising the death of a heretic is wrong because it celebrates the lost chance for salvation," a voice comes out of nowhere, "And to you young man, violating a Damnatio memoriae is malum in se, a serious crime paramount to even treason. To the eyes of the Custos morum, even being in the same building as a forbidden conversation can lead to death." Everyone turns around and a priest drops his Invisible.

All the remaining San d'Orians follow the dishwasher's lead, jumping over tables and knocking down everything, and everyone, in the way in a mad stampede for the door. "Father Ermie?" Zelig says surprised. "What are you doing here priest?" asks a Galka guard hand on his hilt. "I'm sorry for sneaking in like this but the babe is quite stubborn."

"I brought you cookies Zbigniew!" comes a triumphal voice."I helped Mrs. Sky make them like a big girl," it boasts.

The stillness of the barracks drives Zelig half mad for a eighth night, unable to sleep with visions of the owners of the empty bunks screaming through the silence. Familiar with his late night wandering, the guards no longer bother him as he leaves the barracks. Zelig waddles with his cane to the small chapel in the Metalworks.

To his surprise, he discovers Major Viki there so late at night. He looks up and sees Star fast asleep on the altar. She is sucking her thumb as she holds her teddy bear. She moans and rolls over to her other side exposing her back, the tip of her tail twitches. "Why are you here so late at night?"

"I've lost my daughter, why wouldn't I be praying for her soul." Zelig's eyes widen and he stutters for words, "I'm sorry to hear that, I wasn't aware that you had another child," he finally says. "Zelig, don't play games with me. We both know that my baby had a fit and fell from the bridge." "What do you mean? She was only six years younger than you are."

"Logic has no meaning when it comes to heaven, for love has no rhyme or reason. It has a will of its own completely incomprehensible to the minds of mortals, even among the so called Enlightened who claim superiority over the so called Beastmen races." She takes a deep cleansing breath. "The Tarutaru have other spirits they hold sacred though not coequal with Altana: Garuda, Shiva, Titan, Ifrit, Ramuh, Leviathan, Carbuncle, Diabolos, Fenrir, Odin, Alexander, Phoenix, Bahamut…," she begins to cry, "and… since… since these Cavernous Maws and Adventures have appeared out of thin air… whispers … whispers of… of the one they call Atomos is being heard in the shadows, like a silent echo that you can't tell whether it is truly there or if your mind is playing tricks on you."

Zelig sits down next to her putting his arm around her shoulders, "Did she ever tell you herself? Gamesage told me. I didn't believe him at first, but after awhile it … the nonsense just became completely sensible to me."

"No she never told me flat out. But knowing her as I did, I could only hope that my baby could have the chance to grow up into someone even with a fraction of her grace." She starts to whimper, "I figured it out when Fenrir spoke. It may seem benign to everyone else, but I saw in it the heresy she spoke. The one that so offended the Elvaan they set their whole army against her. Even I thought she went too far, but now… now that it's been spoken by Fenrir himself…"

"I know the phase is 'Curiosity killed the cat', no offence, but how can Hope be a heresy?" "You're absolutely right… how can hope be a heresy?" She catches herself then smiles, "Both our babies are servants of the goddesses and gods of Vana'diel. I'm positive your Gamesage knows of this too." She looks at Zelig, "If he told you who he was, then I'm sure he will tell you when the time comes. We're both gonna survive this war, since you've been crippled and I've been court-martialed."

"What?!" Why? You're one of the best warriors to ever come from the Mithra!" "It's because of Bearstar, both of them. In Windurst many warriors have brought their families with them, but taking them outside the city is forbidden. I've been smuggling her around, using funds to bribe people to carry her and to keep quiet. That and word about this whole mess. The uppers are furious. You know the Archduke of Jeuno himself ordered my termination."

"You're kidding?"

"Nope, officially it was to stabilize and strengthen the alliance. But funny thing though, they say when he was told what Fenrir said he became quite excited. I wonder what he saw in the prophesy?" Zelig's heart skips a beat thinking about the encounter with the delegates, "Do you think that maybe he did it to protect Bearstar?" Viki nods.

Zelig returns his gaze to the altar, "Orders have come down not to talk about this mess. Jeuno wants to put this whole thing like water under the bridge, please forgive the pun, because of all the ruckus they caused. Those soldiers that came from San d'Oria to confirm Bearstar's death were complaining that they were unable to pursue Gamesage because he attacked Lord Narcisse's men, but they were praising Altana for striking down Her enemy."

"I bet they would! If it wasn't for the Duchy, they'd be screaming this tragedy from the rooftops as proof of Her omnipotent power and glorifying that maniac as a martyr." "I actually doubt that," he says. "Why?"

"Lord Narcisse's surviving men are to be disbanded and disbursed to new units and are under pain of death if they ever discuss it. Lord Narcisse himself is to be buried very quietly with full honor. Whatever this heresy of hope is, the Papsque is trying to eradicate every trace of it for his own reasons. Makes me wonder though…"

"Wonder what?"

"The units that they are being sent to are on their way to Tavnazia." "That's to be expected, it is the Queen's home country. Her father is the Marquis after all and Lord Narcisse's men are a highly decorated elite unit." "Yea… I know that. But… something just doesn't …with the way the children reacted and all…"

"That's nonsense. To think that the Alliance would betray one of its own to destruction. Just because you were killed originally doesn't mean it was a rout." "The night before Gamesage broke my leg, I saw him and Bearstar in the Armory. They were both in temple garb, chanting and doing something the armor and weapons. When I asked Father Ermenegilde about what I saw he said it was a blessing to protect the wearer from joining the ranks of the undead."

"They could have just been being nice?"

Zelig shakes his head. "No, he said the blessing only takes a few drops of holy water but they were drenching everything with buckets." "They could have just been being thorough?" "Yea, but for what purpose?"

Viki stumbles for words.

"It's all right, I've already said goodbye to all my friends. I even asked him to make amulets for them to also help them with passing." "But if it is to become a massacre… Oh no my girls! They've been ordered there without me!" She starts to cry, "They were so looking forward to the march to Tavnazia…"

"I'm so sorry." Zelig tries to think of something to comfort her. "Gamesage did tell me that I died at the very end of the war. If we did die at Tavnazia then this nightmare is almost over." She leans forward hugging her knees, "I doubt I had lived to see Tavnazia originally." "Why's that?"

"Back in San d'Oria, when this mess all started… a conversation turned towards religion when we were Elvaan bashing after they had been so abusive during our stay. I was infuriated. I've kept my faith secret all these years out of fear, but something inside of me changed. I felt that Altana was calling me. When I went to speak, Bearstar who was sitting next to me, pushed me back down into my chair, put her hand over my mouth, and whispered "I got this one." Other than that one thing… she said what I wanted to say almost word for word. With how the Temple Knights reacted to my words, and knowing what I know now… I think I was the one executed for heresy. She had mentioned she lost her mother when she was four. She said she barely remembered her at all, but the way she died let her know her almost as well as if she had lived. She said that she died a hero and her Aunties tried to raise her as she would have wanted."

"But your sister is the cause of all of this. How could she possibly raise her Altanan?" "I don't know. I don't understand that either." She looks up at her sleeping daughter crying again, "I don't know if I can raise her to be anything even remotely close to the beautiful woman that just drowned." She bawls.

Zelig hugs her tightly, "Stay in Bastok. If you've been ordered to leave I'll do everything I can so you can stay." "Thank you, I haven't been ordered to leave yet, but I wasn't planning on leaving. Bearstar is having the time of her life here. I can't drag her away from her friends. I'll just have to find a way to look at that bridge every day." She hits his shoulder several times in anger and despair before wrapping her arm around his large neck. "I know he said she would die young but not that very night!"

The next morning the smelting workers are startled by the sight of a Mithra child wandering sleepily around the heavy machinery asking where the potty is. When ask where she came from, she leads them to the chapel where they find Viki and Zelig sleeping on the floor…

…Still in each other's arms.


	17. Chapter 16: Born in the Same Manner

**Chapter 16: Born in the Same Manner**

The orders come that very morning, and Zelig keeps his promise. Although she does not have to leave, as civilians neither can stay in the barracks any longer.

"What are we going to do?" the now civilian Viki moans face in her hands. Zelig looks around to see if anyone is in earshot, then leans in close. "That's simple enough, we'll all stay with my stepbrother. He'll never turn us down." Viki curls her fingers away from her eyes to look at Zelig but keeps her hands to her face. "Is this 'brother' of yours just like your Z-biggie person?" "No he is my legal brother. My Zbigniew and his mother secretly married shortly before their deaths."

"Mother?"

Zelig nods and looks around again. "Yes they are a Hume family. They are fishermen in Port." Viki drops her arms to her sides in total shock. Zelig looks around one last time, "Look we need to leave the Metalworks. It's too dangerous to talk here."

They walk down the steps and into the barracks. Word has spread quickly about the two in the chapel. The Humes look angrily at the two as they walk in. The Galkas just look at the ground and turn their backs to them. Zelig tries to say hello to his friends but is completely ignored.

"Why are they treating you like that?" Viki fumes. Zelig only sighs, "We should just hurry back and get yours and the kids' things." "But about yours?" "I have never owned any of my things. And what little I do dare to call my own is in Port. Once we move out I'll have to return the very clothes on my back."

They enter the storage sheds, Star and Drogo are missing. "They must be playing somewhere," Viki says, "We'll have to search for them." "His wagon is gone too," Zelig sighs, "We'll have to go to Port and ask for a cart of some kind." Viki walks over and begins gathering her daughter's things, "We can at least get everything packed to make things quicker." "Good idea," he say bending down to help. He bites his lower lip as he struggles to his knees.

"Zelig," Viki starts again, "Why are they treating you like that all of a sudden? You've always been the most popular guy in the barracks." "It's because of you to be blunt," he says gently. "Me?! What do you mean by that?" she asks shocked. "There has always been fear with the Humes about us being around their women. You remember how Drogo's ghost died?" "Yes I do but that was over two hundred years ago."

"Nothing's changed, if anything thing are worse. Remember the riot?" Viki looks away. "But…" she finally starts again, "That doesn't explain the Galkas turning on you." "Many Galkas are terrified of losing our culture and being absorbed into materialistic shallow Hume world." He motions quotes with his fingers, "'Relationships' as the bisexual races understand them is targeted as one of the biggest corruptions the outside world have inflicted on our youth." Viki puts her hands over her mouth and gasps.

She starts to cry. Before she can say anything Zelig takes both her hands and lowers them into their laps. "No," he says squeezing firmly, "Don't apologize for anything. Drogo the 'Wise Tongue' said in last act that this is no sin, and Drogo the 'Demon' lived it by marrying the granddaughter of that very girl, and I don't know what Drogo the 'Gamesage' will choose in this life but that is in his hands, but in either case I hope he will be happy." "Wait what are you saying, is Drogo…?" Zelig nods, "Yes Drogo was my Zbigniew, and now he has asked me to raise him in return." "Does he know?"

Zelig shakes his head, "He only knows that we were once friends. Not many people knew how close we really were. Last time around he wasn't exactly the best role model," Zelig chuckles saying his last sentence. He looks down at their hands. He sighs.

Viki can feel his hands trembling. He looks back up into her eyes, "Viki I love you… and… it's a different type of love than how I love others like Drogo and my brother. …I'll admit at first when I saw my parents kiss at their wedding I was expecting a formal peck as part of the ceremony, but when they hugged each other and had a strong, solid kiss…" Zelig turns red, struggles to keep eye contact and loosens his grip on her hands, "I was horrified… Please, please let me finish… at the thought that they had crossed into the physical. And the thought of us… has been difficult… but if that is what it takes to have you with me for the rest of our lives… then… then… I…"

Viki slips her right hand from his grip and puts her index finger to his lips shushing him. "It's alright, this past year, I have found freedom not being a slave to the bed. Maybe someday when we are both older, but as of right now, there is no pressure."

Zelig can't help smiling in relief. Viki looks at him seductively, "But out of curiosity, how were you planning on satisfying me since Galkas are missing a little something?" Zelig's blush deepens to an almost cartoonish red and his tongue goes completely numb as he tries to talk. Viki starts giggling uncontrollably at the incoherent sounds. She hugs him and pecks his cheek, "You're a sweetie. You really are."

After they finish cleaning up, Viki helps Zelig back to his feet. He is in terrible pain. Viki thinks she's hearing Zelig mumble "Damn it. Damn it. Damn it," under his breath but he's actually saying "Damn you Drogo. Damn you Drogo. Damn you Drogo." After catching his breath leaning against a wall, they go to leave.

Right before they round the corner to come into view of the rest of the barracks, Zelig takes Viki's hand. "Are you alright?" she asks concerned. "I'm perfectly fine," he says squeezing her hand. "Are you sure you wanna do this? I mean after everything you just said about how dangerous Bastok is?" "We won't be living here much longer. We'll be in Windurst soon enough," he turns to face her. "Only just long enough to mend your leg. You don't have to do this for me."

"My family has been planning to move to Windurst for a while now. You are just a happy coincidence." "You promise?" "Yes, this has nothing to do with you and everything to do with the state of the fishing industry here in Bastok. You can ask my brother if you want. He will tell you the same."

The soldiers in the barracks are minding their own business when suddenly they hear "Oh Zelig you are so wonderful!" screamed by a female voice. A normal Galka would be able handle being jumped on by a 5' 4" 108 pound person, but Zelig's leg buckles. They tumble into the hallway. Viki lands on top of him in a suggestive matter, purring loudly and twitching her tail.

"Zelig!" a Galka screams, "Have you no shame!" Zelig twists his head so he can see the coming firing squad. Everyone, Hume and Galka alike, are gawking at him.

"Hi guys," he says waving embarrassed. The Galkas turn and enter the nearest room and slam the doors. Most of the Humes just stare, but some snicker.

Before Zelig can do anything, Viki stands up and starts screaming at them pointing, "Hey don't look at us like that! If you men knew what the hell you were doing," she takes of her top baring everything and shakes it proudly, "This wouldn't be married to a Galka! Huh! You like this boys? Well you're not getting any!"

Zelig has rolled over on his stomach by now and is struggling to stand, "Viki what are you doing!" "Oh and if any of you think about hurting my family I will personally use your dick as a scratching post and your sack as a cat toy!" Even the most battle hardened Humes are overcome by terror and run frantically into any remaining unlocked door and slam them tight.

As the crickets begin to chirp, Viki with a proud smirk extends her hand to help Zelig up, "There! That should take care of things." Zelig chuckles in an attempt not to cry, "Yes… yes you did."

"Well come on then let's go find a cart."

Zelig hides his face in the ground, "I will let you help me up on one condition…" Zelig says raising his right index finger. "And what's that?" she asks. Zelig looks up at her, "Please put your shirt back on."

They come to the docks, waiting to see if the family ship has returned from the storm. They are both dumbstruck by an amazing sight. Zelig can only stand and stare. Viki is so overcome by emotion she drops to her knees crying in shock and joy.

Her daughter is standing on a crate next to Father Ermenegilde talking excitedly to a gathering of dock workers and passersby. As they get closer they spot a group of about twenty Mithras sitting down on the cobble road, all wearing braids of flowers. They are the very same girls that fought over the flowers all those months ago at Star's birthday party.

Suddenly Star jumps from the crate at starts to run over. Everyone turns to look, then all stand and rush over. Star reaches them first, "Mommy! Mommy! All my Aunties came home!" "Aunties?" Viki whimpers. "Major Viki are you all right?" asks one of them kneeling next to her. Viki grabs her and hugs her tight, "Aunties!" she wails loudly.

"Major Viki are you ok?" another asks as they all arrive. The elderly Elvaan comes up the rear, "Major, I know you have always been protective, but I'm surprised you didn't trust me with the fact that so many of your girls also possess Faith."

Viki pulls back from the girl she is hugging and looks around. Many girls nod as she searches their faces. "Are all you girls really Altanan?" A little over half raise their hands and/or nod. "And we've known about you for awhile too," one adds.

"How did you figure it out?"

They giggle. "Have you heard the nursery rhythms you daughter makes up? It's so blatantly obvious about you two," says one of the girls who didn't raise their hands.

"But about the rest of you?" Viki asks looking at them, "Are you not Altanans as well?" They shake their heads. "No but what Major Arenk and the others did was so wrong we couldn't stand it," one says. "What did she do?" Zelig asks.

"Out in the Marshlands on the way to Tavnazia, she made all of us take an oath of loyalty cursing Altana," she says, "When the other's refused things turned violent so fast there wasn't any time to think. We all just grabbed our weapons instinctively and defended them."

"Why did you girls show yourselves? You knew the consequences didn't you? I mean, after everything?" Viki asks still in shock. "I don't know really," one of the girls says, "After everything with that Mithra in San d'Oria and then with you here, I just couldn't take it anymore." "Yeah me too," says the girl she is hugging. The others nod as well. "Why didn't you say anything before?" Viki asks. "We were going to but after you destroyed the book and everything, we figured that we should keep quiet."

"I'm sorry Mommy I ran out of flowers or I'd make you a crown too," Star says pouting. "Where did you get those anyway?" Zelig asks. "When we came back through Grauberg we picked as many as we could carry as a surprise for Star." "Why are you all here at the dock?" Viki asks.

"We've been stripped of our ranks and medals. The Warpers won't teleport us back to Windy now that we're civilians. We came looking for a boat but no one will take us." "That's right," another says, "Even if there wasn't the problems with the Beastmen we have no money. Everyone's been so mean here you wouldn't believe it."

"Money has replaced the Goddess in many of the hearts here in Bastok unfortunately," Father Ermenegilde sighs dejected. "I wouldn't go that far," Zelig says, "Many here are not much better off than we are in the slums. Even if they wanted to, there is no means of doing it." "But why are you all here sitting on the ground?" Viki clarifies.

"Oh, Mommy Mr. Father came to visit Icie's Mommy and we started talking and he got really excited and asked me to come here and talk to everyone." "I thought back when Squire Gwenael told me your daughter was born with the Holy Scripture written on her heart he was exaggerating to justify is hesitation in obeying the Papsque, but it really is true. Everything he told me," he says excitedly, "Are you sure you won't reconsider your decision about entering her into the monastery schools?"

"I'm sorry Father," Viki says standing up, "But my heart lies with the Star Sybil." "I see," he says disappointed, "should have known when I saw the drawing of the Tarutaru version of her wings." "Wait there is a difference?" a Mithra says looking at the priest.

"The Tarutaru and the Elvaan have been at bitter, bloody war with each other over dogma from nearly the dawn of time. They are not just sects within the same faith they are completely different religions that both follow Altana," Zelig explains.

Four of the Mithras turn angrily at the priest, "Have you tricked us into betraying Windurst?" a Mithra not quite yells at him. "We can't go back to the Homeland, have you taken Windurst from us as well?" accuses another.

"I have done no such thing," Father Ermenegilde pleads, "I was happy to bring you to Altana, if you souls eventually lead you towards Heaven's Tower that is your choice and don't feel bound by you baptism to the Temple."

"Only you would say that Father!" Zelig laughs. "Do I have any other choice," the elderly priest thinks. "Have you four only just come to the Goddess?" Viki asks. "Your daughter is truly a gift from Altana, Major. May she continue her work for a long life," Father Ermenegilde says.

Viki starts crying again. She begins to wail and scream uncontrollably. Viki frantically bares her claws and rips at her head. Blood mixes with brown hair hitting the ground. "Mommy! Mommy you ok?" Star screams terrified. "Major!" the Mithras try to stop her but she pulls free of their clutches. But Viki cannot escape the iron grip of a Galka.

Zelig grabs her as she tries to run away. As she kicks and claws, Zelig pinches her legs and torso in between his elbows. Viki, unable to fight back, starts biting his shoulder, ripping at the scales of his armor. She cuts the sides of her mouth on the metal plates. Father Ermenegilde grabs the screaming child and hugs her tight into his robes. Zelig begins to run away. "Hey where are you taking her!" several Mithras shout. The Mithras and Father Ermenegilde, carrying Star, run after him.

Zelig turns up a set of steps and heads towards Jacob's home. Along the way they hear Icie scream gleefully. Charging wildly around the houses comes Drogo pulling Icie in his wagon with her brother pushing behind. His grip is the only thing keeping Icie from slamming into the cobblestones. The once fragile as glass wagon has a new set of wooden rear wheels and axel.

Drogo slides to a stop, with Icie and Ceddie flying forward. Icie starts to cry. "Gamesage what do you think your…" Ceddie starts. "Zbigniew! Major Viki!" he runs off after them. Ceddie picks his crying sister off the ground and puts her back it the wagon. "Hey!" he turns to continue his tirade and sees a group of Mithras running through the streets. "Hold on tight Icie," he tells her as he picks up the handle and speeds off towards their home.

They make it to the steps as Father Ermenegilde comes up the rear. He sees him carrying Star. "Father what's wrong?"

The priest only stops briefly to answer, "The babe's mother is ill," then runs back after the others. Icie and her brother briefly glance at each other before he pulls the wagon after them.

The house is too small to fit everyone so the Mithras wait outside. They are all extremely upset. Many mope about. Some hide their face in their hands. "Do you think she'll be alright?" a Mithra asks. One begins to pray. The rest quickly join, Altanan and Animist alike.

Although no longer trying to hurt herself, Viki is still curled up crying hysterically on the only bed in the house. Now no longer bleeding thanks to Drogo, she is left alone in the room.

Zelig slips out of the pantry now dressed in his Angler's Tunica set carrying his armor over his arm. He walks into the main room where the others are talking. "Drogo I didn't know you knew healing magics?" Bluesky says. "Star taught me," he says looking at Star sitting in Father Ermenegilde's lap. "Is Mommy gonna be ok?" she asks looking up at his wrinkled face.

Suddenly Zelig starts to laugh. "Hey what's so funny?" Star asks mad. "Drogo, where did you get those clothes?" Drogo looks down at himself, "What these? Aunt Sky made them for me." He looks back up at Zelig, "What's so funny about them? I like them," he says smiling.

Drogo is large enough that the Hume shirt fits him well save the rolled up sleeves, but the pants are a different story. The pair of pants has been chopped off at the knees and one of the legs has been sewn on the rear to make a sleeve for his tail. The other leg has been crafted into an attempted mimic of a Galkan child's bonnet. "Yeah what's so funny I worked hard on those clothes," Bluesky scowls offended. "I'm sorry," he chuckles.

"But seriously," Zelig tries to stop laughing, "Drogo, Star we need to talk now." "What is it Zbigniew?" Star asks sniffling. "Your mother and I have been decommissioned, which means we can't live in the barracks anymore." "But where are we going to sleep now?" Drogo asks frightened.

Bluesky places her face in her hands, "Do the children have their own beds or do we have to take the dinning cloths off the tables now?" Drogo walks up to her as she starts to cry, "We have our own things. You don't have to worry." Bluesky peeks up from her hands. "I even have my own furniture," he adds proudly. She looks over at Zelig, "Are they anything like his old clothes?" she asks in a concerned tone.

Drogo jumps back shocked, then fumes pointing, "Hey that's not nice! I have great stuff!" "He's right," Zelig says, "Drogo may get his things from the dump, but he's very picky. Most of it is very high quality that the rich have tossed for minor dings. Nothing a resourceful woman like yourself can't spruce up."

"Yeah, I bet you and Uncle Jason can fix them just like you did my wagon," Drogo says excited. "What did they do to your wagon?" Zelig asks. Drogo turns to his Zbigniew, "They made new wheels for it so they won't fall off no more." "That's good, now you can help move all the things you have been collecting recently sneaking back into Mines."

Drogo looks down at the ground embarrassed, "You knew?" "Of course I knew. It's my job to know what my child is doing." Drogo glares over at Star. She sticks out her tongue.

With the sound of squabbling children in the background, Zelig turns to Bluesky, "Can we borrow the fish cart? It will make things so much quicker." "Yes. We've had to hide it though since so much was destroyed by the storm." "No one believed Jacob then?" he says disappointed. She shakes her head, "We're the only family that wasn't hard it because we moved everything above the sea wall."

Zelig hugs her when he sees her start to cry, "Don't worry about a thing. They will come back soon." "How can you be so sure they are ok?" "They will be perfectly safe. The Dragoon and Ninja are with them," he answers. "But how can you trust those pirates?" "I know them. They would never do anything to harm this family." She pulls back. "You better be right Uncle Zelig. You better be right," she whimpers in muted rage.

Zelig turns to the children. It has devolved into a silly face fight, intermittent with name calling. "Star! Drogo! Get ready to leave. We are getting your things!" he yells over them. "Fine," Drogo says under his breath stomping out. Star turns around, lifts her skirt and shakes her tail and her tail end at him.

"Star! That's not very lady like! What would your mother say if she was well," Bluesky scolds. Star turns around, puts her hands on her hips and stomps her foot, "Mommy say I'm a good little Mithra!" She sticks out her tongue.

"Now I doubt…"

"She's right," Zelig says annoyed interrupting her. She turns to Zelig and sees him pinching the bridge of his nose looking dejected. "He's right," Father Ermenegilde chuckles, "And if you bring it up with her you will only get the same response as young Star here." Bluesky hits her knees. "Oh my Goddess. Oh my Goddess," she mutters over and over again face in her hands.

"Come on sweetie. Let's go," Zelig says lovingly tapping Star's head. "Ok!" she jumps up excitedly right arm raise triumphant. She runs outside.

Father Ermenegilde stands up from his chair, "Zelig do you think it would be alright if I go talk to Viki now?" "I doubt she'd talk to you but I don't think she'd claw you at this point." "You are very comforting Zelig," he says sarcastically. Zelig chuckles.

"Father, after everything calms down Viki and I have something to discuss with you," he says smiling. Bluesky panics, "Oh Goddess no, Zelig you can't be with that girl's mother." Father Ermenegilde smiles but it fads quickly, "Wait, is she widowed or properly divorced? Not that I condone divorce by all means." Zelig raises his hands bracing himself for a lashing, "I don't know the details of Mithra marriage practices, all I know she is not returning to her husband…" "Of her own accord!" he quickly adds, "She's not leaving him for me. I swear on the Goddess."

Father Ermenegilde puts his arms in his sleeves. "I refuse to give my blessing to this affair," he says with authority. "We haven't done anything. We've only just decided to see each other," he pleads. "An affair of the heart is just a deadly as an affair of the flesh," he scolds. "Look I need to get going. Just know what is own our minds." Zelig leaves the house.

The old priest shakes his head disapprovingly. "I can't believe this," Bluesky moans. She lays on the ground, "And to a woman capable of raising a child in that manner to boot." Father Ermenegilde walks into the bedroom. There is a small lump on the bed curled up in the corner under the blankets. "Are you awake, Viki Sayma?"

Back outside, the other Mithras jump up and run over when they see him walk out. "Is Major alright?" several blurt out at once. "She's resting comfortably now," he answers. "It's over that other Altanan isn't it?" asks one of the non-Altanans. Zelig nods.

Drogo comes around the corner with the wagon. Star is skipping next to him humming. "We're ready to go," Drogo says stopping in front of him. "That's good…" suddenly Zelig hits is fist in his palm, "Dang, I forgot about the fish cart." He goes to walk back inside.

"I know where it is!" Star says jumping up hands up waving excitedly like an eager school child. Zelig turns around and looks at them. Drogo nods, "Yeah we both helped move everything before the storm."

"What's this about a cart?" one of the Mithras asks. "We're moving again!" Star claps. "We've been forced from the barracks," Zelig says turning to them. "Alright then let's all go then!" another says raising her axe to the sky. "You ladies don't have to do this," he says. "Yes we do," three say at once. A race to say "jinx" follows. "Yes I win!" cheers the one on the right. "Please let us help the Major," begs the girl she was hugging at the dock. Zelig relents and nods. "Good the carts this way," Drogo says walking off pulling his wagon.

Star runs ahead of them and stops at some crates. She climbs them and waves back. Zelig tosses the tarp up revealing a cart, looking not so surprisingly similar to the one Gamesage pulled at the party, and other boat supplies. Zelig takes hold of the cart handles and takes a step.

He can't help but scream.

He lays down grabbing his knee. "Zbigniew you ok?" Star asks jumping off the crates. "Oh if I ever catch the guy who did this to you I'll bite his tail off!" Drogo fumes. Zelig can't help chuckling in spite the pain he is in.

"What's so funny? I mean it!"

"Zelig why don't you climb in the cart and we'll pull you?" one of the girls asks. "Oh! Oh! Me too! Me too!" jumps Star. Zelig swallows his pride and admits defeat. He climbs in the cart and with Star next to him the Mithras crowd around. With some pulling and some pushing, they make their way to the barracks in Markets.

"I can't believe this. Zelig of all of us," a Galka shakes his head, face hidden in his large hands. "I know," another laments. "Has anyone told Elder Gumbah and Werei?" a third asks. The first lifts his head from his hands and shakes his head, "Not that I know of. After he's collapsed again I don't think anyone would add to his suffering." "What are we going to do? If he climbs the mountain for rebirth the Beastmen will find him and kill him," a fourth says.

"I guest all we can do is win this war as fast as possible to insure his safety then," a Hume says walking up, "I'm sorry for eavesdropping." "I remember you. You're that Hume who can't sing," the third Galka says. "I remember you too," the Hume says extending is hand. They shake. "I'll fight hard to protect your Elder, if it comes to that. He will survive his rebirth." The Galka nods and they release hands. "Thank you for the thought, but we don't allow outsiders to witness these things."

The Hume nods in return, "Fair enough." He crosses his arms and shakes his head. "I can't believe about Zelig either," the Hume starts, "I roomed with him. Besides the fact he's a Galka…I know opposites attract, but he's so quiet and easygoing and that Mithra seems so…" The Galkas motion for him to stop but it's too late.

"We Mithras seem so what?"

The poor Hume is so startled, he screams as he jumps around. He comes to face three fearsome Mithran warriors, all hands on their hips glaring at him. The others arrive shortly afterwards with the wagon.

Zelig seeing his friends waves nervously with a passive smile. The Hume waves back with a fake smile. Then, completely terrified, claws through the gathered Galkas, "Nothing! Nothing at all." After he finishes slipping through, he runs screaming down the hall, "The Mithras are back!" Heads of both races peek out the doors to look and just as quickly shut them.

"I see you have collected quite the harem, Zelig," the first Galka says in hostile sarcasm. The body language of the others echoes his tone. "Wait please it's nothing like that, I…"

"What's a harem?" Star asks looking up. "A harem is the name of a group of women that were owned by the same man. But the practice has been outlawed in most places for a long time now," Drogo comes up along side with his wagon.

"Owned? You mean like an animal?" asks one of the Mithras shocked. Drogo looks up at her and nods, "A long time ago women were bought and sold like objects in the name of Marriage, and the more beautiful wives someone had the richer that man was, but like I said that's been outlawed." "And rightly so!" one Mithra shouts. "How dare you call us by such a name!" says another confronting the Galka poking him firmly in the chest.

"Wait please!" Zelig shouts, "They didn't mean it like that! He was just making a lewd joke, that's all!" "What's lewd?" Star asks again. Before anyone can respond… "Drogo if you know the answer don't say a word!" Zelig orders. The Mithra looks back at him then turns back to the Galka she was poking, "Move out of our way! We're here to fetch our belongings. Then you would have to worry about seeing our tails again." The Galkas make way and the group continues down the hall.

The Galkas pull young Drogo aside. After everyone is out of sight, they begin to talk to him. "You know you have no obligation to remain with the sinners," says the first. The second one nods, "He's right. Your young mind may enjoy the novelty of foreign ways but it be better for you to not to become corrupted." "It's not too late for you to be saved from the road Zelig has taken," the fourth says.

Drogo shakes his head, "No, Zelig is my Zbigniew. I will stay with him." "'Parenthood' as the others races put it, may be permanent for them," the third starts, "But with us such things are arbitrary. A child can have many Zbigniews or none at all. And one does not have to keep the same Zbigniew. Preferences change frequently over one's life." "It's not too late boy," the fourth says.

Drogo looks at them in muted rage, "No. I have chosen not to be afraid of love any longer. I love Zelig. And I love Major Viki and Star, and all my Hume friends. And they love me too."

The first one shakes his head, "You do not understand child, maybe you are still too young to. But we Galkas are different from the other races. Altana Herself has set us apart. The other races are incapable of thinking and feeling emotions like we do. What you think is being returned to you is nothing but your imagination playing tricks on you boy."

Drogo, now furious, drops his wagon handle in his right hand and points at them accusingly. "No! You are the ones who don't understand! We are all born of Altana's tears. All the Enlightened! How can you say we have been set apart if we are all born in the same manner. And we all die in the same manner too and don't interrupt me!" He is screaming now, "Yes we can be reborn, but we can only cheat death for so long. How many Galkas have you seen lying lifeless on the battlefields?! Along side all the other races! Both Enlightened and Beastmen alike!"

"That's enough boy!" The first one goes to strike him, but Drogo counters instinctively. The third one's eyes bug-out shocked at the boy's skill for such a young age. "Such things take centuries to master," he thinks, "Could he be?"

"That's enough! There's not saving this one," the fourth says grabbing the first Galka's hand. They turn and walk away but Drogo leaves his wagon and catches up. He tugs on the third one's scabbard as they round a counter. The other three continue not noticing his absence. The third one leans down to look him in the face, "Yes?"

"I thought so. You're one of the guards from the Knights' rampage after Star's birthday party." "You have a sharp memory Drogo." "You shouldn't be afraid," Drogo says. "What do you mean by that?" he answers chuckling. "You're afraid of love. I saw it in your face when I was yelling. You believe what I said but do nothing." He looks at the ground away from his eyes, "I… I can understand your simple child's logic… that's all." He goes to stand.

"Altana is Love," Drogo says. "What does that have to do with anything?" he says finishing standing up. "Altana is Love, and we are all her children. So even if we are all different from each other, we all love the same way because there is only one Love, and that Love is Altana. To deny the will of love is to deny the will of Altana Herself." The Galka looks down at Drogo and can't help but smirk sympathetically.

Drogo continues, "And even if people don't believe in Altana, we all still hope is the same way, because hope is born from both Light and Darkness, and we all experience Light and Darkness the same way. Even the blind who can't see can still hear the songs of the birds switch to the chirping of the crickets at night." He is silent for a time, trying to think of a way to refute him.

"Even so, unless a blind man is told which is which he cannot know whether it is sunrise or sunset," he finally says.

"Yes, even a drunk man who has awakened and does not know his direction can't tell the difference between sunset and sunrise. But that's the point. They are the same, in both looks and sound. They are just like Hope, born of both light and darkness to form something beautiful that neither can make on their own."

"Despair is also born of light and darkness," the Galka says, "Even if they look alike at first, time tells the difference. The sun will rise or set and the birds and crickets will switch places. That they look alike is only an illusion."

"Then you agree then that everyone hopes and also despairs the same way as well since everyone experiences both light and darkness the same way?" Drogo retorts without the slightest hesitation.

The Galka shakes his head and sighs, "Then there really is no saving you then." He turns to walk away but before he leaves he glances behind him to catch Drogo's face, "I guess I just join my friends for some vodka mixed drinks then." "Ok bye then," Drogo says chipperly, "Please think about what I said."

The Galka puts his hand on the wall and puts his full weight against it. Drogo can see him put his other hand to his face and hear him sob softly. Drogo spins around him to see his face, "Are you alright? Why are you crying?" The Galka wipes his eyes and looks down at him, "In your last life you hated vodka and were quick to lecture those on the virtues of gin."

Drogo smiles understanding why he had said that. "I'm sorry, but I'm not the next Tales Keeper. I don't think Altana would choose a man like "the Demon" as our next leader. And besides, She only gives the Knowledge to someone new when the old Tales Keeper is reborn or dies. I'm too old to be Her choice. If you believe Sir Raogrimm is truly dead then you should question those of us who are ten years old, I'm almost twenty-five now." He smiles down at him with a depressed look, "You're right boy. I don't know what I was thinking."

When he begins to walk off Drogo grabs his scabbard again. "What is it this time?" He turns to look and sees Drogo smiling face, "Then you really do believe what I'd said. Why else would you think I was the Tales Keeper?" His smile is returned with an annoyed glare, "Look boy, I need to go. I don't have any more time for your games!" He rips his scabbard from Drogo's hand and fumes off.

Drogo walks back to his wagon and pouts all the way to his old room. "There you are! I was worried about you," Zelig hobbles over with his cane. "I was about to send a Mithra to look for you." Seeing his face and unable to lean down, Zelig rubs Drogo's bonnet. "Don't let those other Galkas get to you…" Drogo looks up at him. "…You are the one in the right, not them." "How do you even know what was said?" he asks. "Because I know those men, and I know you. And I trust you." Zelig takes his hand off Drogo's head, "What ever you said to them is true. I know that much even though I wasn't there."

Drogo sniffles and nods. He tries to crack a smile to make Zelig happy. Zelig can tell he's faking it though. He gently cups the back of Drogo's head in the palm of his large hand, "Come over here and help with your things." Drogo nods and begins loading his wagon.

They come back to the house. Father Ermenegilde is sitting on the ground leaning up against the house. The Mithras carefully help Zelig from the cart and begin to unload. Bluesky has been busy while they have been gone and the other wives and daughters in the family come out of the house when they hear them arrive.

As the gaggle of women meets, greets and unpack, Father Ermenegilde makes his way over to Zelig. He's unusually sluggish. His face is emotionless and slightly pale. "Father are you alright?" Zelig asks concerned. He only waves for him to follow and Zelig hobbles away from the women.

They come to a quiet side of the house. "Father are you alright? Is Viki ok?" "Yes, yes Viki is fine," Father Ermenegilde takes a deep breath and looks at the ground, "She has been quite talkative… very unexpectedly… talkative…"

"She told you about the time travel then?"

Father Ermenegilde looks up with a pleading face, "Please tell me this insanity is just that?" Zelig shakes his head, "Sorry Father, but it is true. The heretic was little Star full grown and her Galkan friend Gamesage is our little "Game Sage" Drogo. Icie and her future husband have been back here as well but you haven't met."

The old priest hits his knees and moans, face in his hands, "Oh! Oh that poor child!" He looks up at Zelig, "Please tell me what she said that angered the Papsque! There must be some way to save her and bring her rightly to the Goddess! Viki refuses to speak it and I dare not inquire of it myself." Zelig shakes his head, "I'm sorry I don't know. All I know is that Viki said she heard it veiled in that beast's prophesy."

He looks back at the ground, "Yes… Fenrir, one of the false gods born of Vana'diel that the Tarus hold sacred… What were his exact words? I do not know them." "Why do you still care? You could be killed? I could be killed. I don't want to muse about it. I don't even wanna remember I heard about it." Zelig waves his arms in a cutting motion in front of him, "The Papsque has ruled it a non-event. I'm not going to argue with that."

Father Ermenegilde chuckles, "That's rather cruel considering it involves your soon-to-be stepdaughter's death?" Zelig sighs dejected, "I'm just putting off the inevitable I guess. I figure I will become involved in it soon enough. The Papsque still has many years ahead of him." Father Ermenegilde looks away towards the house, "Maybe I can get Viki to at least tell me Fenrir's words."

"Why are you so insistent after all the suffering that's occurred because of what she said?" "I've dedicated my whole life to the service of the Goddess. If there is something so flawed with our Temple that when the truth is spoken that it is rejected like oil to water than I chose my oath to Her above my oath to the Temple."

"I'm sure you will live to see it come to pass when the proper time comes." Father Ermenegilde returns to his feet, "That's kind of you Zelig but I'm already in my sixties." "Jacob is nearly a hundred and look at Maat. Bearstar told me he's still around in twenty years and giving fighting lessons to Adventurers in Jeuno." "Really?" he says standing up, "That must be a new world record."

"Did someone say my name?" Star comes around the corner. "Mr. Father!" she says running up. Star hugs his legs. "Hi" she says adorably. She giggles. "Hello child." Father Ermenegilde puts his arms in his sleeves but can't help but smile back, "Yes, yes we are talking about you." "Nothing bad right?"

"No, nothing bad. How could you do anything bad?" he rubs his hand through her hair. Zelig pinches the bridge of his nose, "I'm not saying a word." "Yes you did! You just said…" she counts on her fingers then holds up her hand, "You just said this many." She giggles.

"You're weird," a voice says from behind. Star sticks out her tongue. Zelig turns and sees Drogo with his wagon. A sea breeze off the harbor brings a strong whiff of smoke from the large stack of books in his wagon. Star waves her hand in front of her face and coughs. Zelig walks up and extends his hand, "I think we should go in and check on your mommy." Star takes it and they walk away.

Father Ermenegilde walks up to Drogo, "So these are infamous smelly books I've heard so much about." "Yep this is my library." "You must really love books to go digging through the dump." Drogo picks up a book on the top and holds it, "Well I'm there all the time anyway. And besides when does a Galka child get to own his very own book?"

"That's all too true I'm afraid," the priest says standing over him, "What book are you holding?" Drogo gives him the book. "If it hadn't been raining all this time I could have gotten more books from the dump. Can you believe how much it's rained? It never rains in Bastok."

Father Ermenegilde's face turns to shock, "Why this a printed copy of a Windurstian scribed book. The Tarutaru are very protective of their library. No amount of money could have bought this legally." Drogo jumps back surprised, "What! You mean it's stolen? Am I gonna get in trouble?" Father Ermenegilde gives it back to him, "Honestly, I wouldn't go showing it around if I were you."

Drogo stares at it longingly, "Awe… This is my favorite one too." He opens the book, "I like this part where it talks about a talking rock." Drogo looks back up at the priest, "Did you know there were things like talking rocks?" "Yes I do. I've read the real version of that book in the Windurstian Library. But to poses a Carbuncle's Ruby is not something to take lightly child." "I don't care," he says sternly, "I want to see one and talk to it." The priest puts his arms back in his sleeves, "He's just as stubborn as ever," he thinks.

"Why are you smiling like that? Aren't priests supposed to not like bad things?"

Father Ermenegilde jumps back not realizing his emotions got the better of him, "Oh!" He recovers his composer quickly, "But tell me child why do you still wish to pursue this course of action?" "I'd do anything once," he looks down at his book, "And besides I'm already in trouble so I might as well see how far I can go before I get caught."

Drogo hugs the book and glares at Father Ermenegilde suspiciously, "You're not gonna tattle-tale on me like Bearstar does are you?" He opens his arms welcomingly to the boy, "No child, but please be careful about where your ambitions take you." Drogo nods smiling.

He puts the book back, but before he picks up the handle, he stares at it for a moment. Then he puts it on top of one of the other piles of books, takes several books from the original pile and puts them on the ground, puts the bootlegged Taru book on top of the new little pile, then stacks the other books on top of it. After circling the wagon to see if it is well hidden, he picks up the handle and runs off.

The elderly priest chuckles to himself. He is remembering the days when he used Rice Cakes and Mochi to disguise himself as a Tarutaru child to gain access to the library. "Ah to be young again," he muses to himself.

He rounds the front of the house and finds the Hume women cooing happily at Drogo's "trash". "Oh look at this hurricane lamp. It's fine cut crystal!" She turns it upside-down examining it, "There's a crack it the base where oil leaks out, nothing some putty won't fix." "Oh look at the scroll work on this little dresser set," starts another, "This is fine San d'Orian hardwood and is this… Yes it is! Sisters there's gold leaf here." Bluesky comes over and looks at the damage, "It's going to take a lot of love to make this presentable again."

She takes out a scrap of paper and a charcoal stick. "So we need to get more wood glue and dowels," she writes down. A young teenager runs over to her carrying a severely burnt and warped medal box. "Aunt Sky look at this! Is this what I think it is?" In the small box are the melted remains of a flatware set. Some of the pieces are warped and twisted but still usable by the desperate, but most are now a conglomerate mess.

Bluesky has one hand over her gapping mouth and in the other holds a mass of former butter knifes. It feels heavy in her palm. She starts to cry, "Silver…This is silver." "There are five more boxes just like this!" the girl says excited. "There are small pouches of broken jewelry too and two damaged safes, but they're completely fused shut. I can't open them."

A dining table and chairs are brought out of the cart next. The stains are severely damaged and the cushions smell horribly like mold. "So many of these things are water damaged," Bluesky says looking around.

"All the new stuff at the dump are broke just like this."

She turns around and sees Drogo with his wagon and Father Ermenegilde standing next to him. "I've heard that the storm damaged the roofs of several mansions in Markets. I'm sure many more things like these will be appearing in the coming days," Father Ermenegilde adds. "Yeah and now that my wagon is fixed I can get so much more stuff now without worrying about it breaking under the weight," Drogo says excited.

Bluesky kneels down and hugs him. "I'm so sorry I doubted your good judgment," she says still clutching the mass of silver. Father Ermenegilde goes wide-eyed when he spots it, "Wait, is that what I think it is?" Bluesky leans back from hugging Drogo and looks at him nodding her head. She sniffles.

Cries of "Major!" come from behind them. Bluesky turns to see the commotion as the Mithras crowd the door. Zelig is carrying Star in one arm and has the other wrapped around Viki who is leaning on him. He carefully keeps his weight on his good leg as they walk out.

"Major Viki!" Drogo runs over. He stops at her feet, "Are you feeling better?"

Viki kneels down and kisses him, "Yes thanks to you sweetie." Drogo blushes and looks at the ground. He rubs his hands together nervously. "Hey I thought I was sweetie?" Star protests. Viki plays with her dangling foot, "Yes… yes your right you are my sweetie too." She goes to tickle her put Star pulls her feet up. "Hey!" she giggles.

Zelig puts Star down and she and Drogo help with the rest of the unload. The fused safes catch Viki's eye and she examines them carefully. Josey walks over to her, "Someone went through a lot of effort trying to open those judging by the tool marks, but they look hopeless to me. And even if they could be opened, for the fire to twist and warp the medal so thoroughly must have incinerated anything that was inside into charcoal." "I think some of my Black Mage girls might be able to open these." "What makes you think that?" Bluesky asks surprised.

"It looks like only fire has been used on this, a good ice spell can shatter metal like glass. I've seen the Tarus do it." "Really?" Josey asks excitedly. Viki nods, "Go get Zelig and a few of my girls that are wearing Igqira Weskits, they are my mages." "I don't know what they are," she says. "The ones with tattoos on their arms and fanged jewelry," Viki corrects.

Josey comes back with three of the Mithras, Zelig, and the curious children. Many of the other women gather as well. Viki explains her idea, "If the ice spells aren't strong enough, we can alternate between fire and ice spells. That will weaken the metal and make it break." "What will we use to break it open with?" a mage asks, "I don't want to use any of our weapons. They will be damaged."

Before Viki can respond, Zelig turns to Drogo, "Drogo, I need to sneak into Mines like you have been doing and find either a pickaxe or a spike and sledgehammer, which ever you can hide in your wagon under your blanket." "Wait…" Drogo says, "You want me to steal from the mines? People can be killed for that."

There is a collective gasp from the Hume women.

"I know what I'm asking, but you're a smart little boy. I know you can do it without being caught." "Zelig! Did that Galka damage your brain along with your knee!" Josey protests. "It's ok. I can do it. I think I know how. I have to sneak past the mine entrance to get to the dump." Drogo runs off before anyone can grab him.

"He better come back Uncle," snaps Josey. Father Ermenegilde walks up after seeing Drogo run off pulling his wagon, "Where is he going so fast?" "Oh Father! Oh Father!" Bluesky hits her knees again, "Oh Father!"

The sun is getting low in the sky but not quite sunset. Ceddie and Icie are back and helping their mother, aunts, and cousins. As the fish cart is being reloaded to divvy up the items among the various homes, Drogo runs up dragging a full wagon stacked high with more things. "I'm back!"

All the Hume women run up and fight over hugging him. "You're squishing me! Let go!" Zelig hobbles over, "What you trying to do kill him? Back away! Back away!"

Drogo is sprawled out on the ground, "I'm alive!" "Are you ok?" Icie asks standing over him worried. "Get up. You're just being silly," Ceddie complains. Drogo sits up, "Oh Star makes jokes and you laugh like crazy but when I make jokes you whine." Drogo starts doing impressions of Ceddie making fun of him. Even Bluesky can't help but giggle. Poor Ceddie runs into the house crying. Drogo points and laughs maniacally at him.

Zelig is standing over the wagon as Viki unpacks it. Zelig pinches the bridge of his nose, chuckling at a thought. Viki finishes unpacking the wagon and pulls over his old torn blanket. She stands up, pickaxe and spike in hand. A sledgehammer lays still in wagon. "Are you thinking about how he used to be?"

Zelig puts his hands on his hips, looking at the ground, shaking his head. "That and the fact how you are going to be such a good role model for him," he says sarcastically. Viki slaps his left arm as he laughs at his own joke. "You're lucky you're hurt," she says waving her finger in his face. "He's gonna regret that…" the Mithras whisper to each other.

The Mithras help with the cart and leave with the other women towards their homes to divide Drogo's belongings. Ceddie and Icie run up to their mother. "Mommy can we go with Aunt Josey?" Ceddie asks. "Aunt Josey!" Icie squeals. "All right darlings. Better hurry though or you'll be left behind." Ceddie nods, "Thank you Mommy." He turns to his sister, "Come on take my hand." She takes it and they run off after them.

Viki picks up the last few rags and spare leftovers. She watches Star hold Zelig's hand as he waddles into the house with the jewelry pouches and Drogo helps carry the flatware sets with the safes in the wagon next to Bluesky hiding the stolen tools in her shawl. Her ears suddenly twist behind her. Viki turns around and sees one of her Black Mages walking up. "Are you alright?" she asks seeing her face.

"Major Viki, I need to ask you a question that's been bothering me these few days." She nods and the Black Mage leads her aside. "I don't want to provoke you, into rage or into another fit, but how did you do it?" "How did I do what?" Viki asks surprised. The mage rubs her right arm, its tattoos twisted from scarring. "I'll be honest and say the only reason I'm here is because of my cousin," she says looking away, "and I don't agree with her baptism… but…" She looks up at Viki's face. "But all the stories of the minions of the Dark One doesn't explain what happened. How did you murder your sister? How did you kill Arenk?"

Viki's face instantly turns to shock and despair. He puts her hand over her heart and closes her eyes. After a few moments, she hits her knees and pulls her ears down. "Oh no, I can't feel her. I can't feel her!" she wails. She crumbles into a little ball again and weeps. "You really didn't know?" the mage says surprised, "You actually had nothing to do with it?"

"What happened? Why is my sister dead?" Viki stutters though her tears. The mage rubs her arm again and looks away. "There was a fight as you know. Several were injured but you sister was killed. An arrow through her back. But she was facing back towards Bastok when she was struck so I couldn't figure out how you could have shot it, even witches cannot defy the law of the bow."

Viki's trembling shutters her voice, "Why did you think I did it?" "It was your arrow. It must have been a powerful enchantment. It negated all her magical shields and pierced right though her armor like it wasn't even there." Viki glances up at her, "My arrow? Are you sure?" She nods, "I was the first to her. The mark was yours. There's no denying it. But when the others came and recognized me they chased me off. I had no idea my cousin was with the Altanans until my friends tried to hack me to pieces." She puts her hand over her mouth trying to keep her composure.

Viki puts her head back on the ground, "But how did it go through all my spells?" she half says to herself in disbelief. "Your spells Major?" She looks back up again, "Yes I designed them myself. There's never been anything so powerful, a tier six if you will."

"Then it must have been one heck of a Dispel effect to destroy them."

The mage can see the light bulb turn on in Viki's face. Her tears turn to rage, "Damn you! Damn you!" she pounds the cobblestones. "You worthless Sin Tracker! So you've made your judgment!" The Black Mage jumps backwards startled, "A Sin Tracker! Has there been one pursuing you this whole time?" "What's with the shouting?" Bluesky looks out a window. "Oh good gracious!" she dashes back inside, "Zelig!"

Bluesky finishes hiding the safes, pouches, flatware and the stolen tools under Jacob's bed and pulls the covers low to hide them from view. She looks nervously out the window as the traffic begins to pick up as the men come from the docks.

Coming into the living room, she sees Zelig rubbing Viki's back. She has a blank stare, her mind somewhere else. The Mithra mage is with her as well. Father Ermenegilde looks at Viki and bites his lower lip trying to think of a way to help.

Suddenly he smiles with an idea, "Why don't you come up here Star and tell your Mommy all the wonderful things you told the people at the dock?" "Ok!" Star says in her signature perky, bright eyed face. Everyone sits down to listen.

"Altana is the mother of peace and love. While the sentient crystal created the world, it is by Her will that people exist within it. She is the second Creator of the second creation. As all the gods are born of singularity of the sentient light like a rainbow is born of the single pure sunbeam, all that is good is within Her for She was born of the ray of Righteousness.

As children of the light, the races must strive for peace, for it is our true nature. This war is evil and the suffering is great, but from it peace has come to the five races. People have traveled were none could travel only a year before. People have talked were none could talk only a year before. Friendships have formed were none were possible only a year before. People have fallen in love were love could not be found only a year before.

We must not let this pass. We must not return to the war between us once this war is over. Even if our governments return to the old way of thinking, we must not. The very ground under our feet has changed even bigger then the holes and the fires. The old world is dead. A new one has been born. And that world is ours. We must not let it be destroyed either by the Beastmen or by those who want the old world to return. Peace belongs to us. Friendship belongs to us. Love belongs to us. Altana has awaked within us. The time to play with each other is over. We must listen to our Mother calling us home to dinner."

Father Ermenegilde claps his hands excitedly, "That was wonderful child." Star turns to him and giggles. She then glances around the room looking for approval from the others. Some smile, a few nod. Father Ermenegilde begins to stand, "Well then…"

"But there was a third creation by a third creator," Star begins again unexpectedly. He sits back down. "Jealous of Altana's children, he fathered his own. The Five Races are born of Righteousness, the Beastmen are born of Corruption. All that is evil in the world is born of Promathia, the god of Destruction. The line between Promathia and Altana is a crisp as the line of a shadow in the sunlight."

Viki looks at the ground and turns away. "She knows better than that. She has heard them too," she thinks. Star looks at her mother for a moment with a sad look on her face knowing she said something wrong. She looks back at the group and continues.

"But all that exits is born from the Crystal, all the gods are the singularities of its light. As Altana was born, must Promathia have been born as well? Shouldn't He be part of the perfection of the Great Light and not be its absence because nothing existed before the Creation? We are all born by the will of Altana, by the will of Life Herself. But we also die by the will of Death Himself. The Chains of Promathia is a curse we all have, a curse he placed on us at the beginning. But it is in that curse that we are created, when we die we become divided again, our light returns to the Crystal and our darkness returns to the Void.

Altana and Promathia are the Dawn and Dusk, the Beginning and the End. But dawn and dusk are times of change, not pure light and darkness. Those are the day and night. They look the same, but they are different.

The dawn is coming into the light and dusk is returning to the darkness. But they both need the light and dark to exist. The dawn is the symbol of hope and the dusk is the symbol of despair. Just like Altana and Promathia are, but this is wrong. Hope and despair is a movement between light and darkness.

They were not born with the Crystal, there is no gods of hope and despair. They are the product of the mixing of light and darkness, they are the twin children of Altana and Promathia. Hope is a great, but it is only because of the curse He put on us. It is an accidental gift, one Altana likes or She would have made us take a bath like a good mommy.

And what about the Beastmen? They love. They have friends. They wish for peace. But as children of Promathia, how can they have them for they are not part of Him? Altana must have touched them as well just like Promathia has touched us, giving them their gifts but this time on purpose and not the accident Promathia did to us.

Grownups say this is a war over souls between the two Gods like two divorced parents fighting over who raises their children, but at the same time they say Beastmen are denied the Grace of the Goddess when they clearly have it.

What if they are not like fighting parents? What if they are like stepparents? The other has no connection to the child's birth, but they still influence the baby by touching them. The line between Light and Darkness may be as sharp as the outline of a shadow but they are always together, forever separate but forever touching, like a mommy and daddy sleeping. We all hope and we all despair, we all get happy and we all get sad. We all get mad and we all love. Everyone shares these things, even the Beastmen."

"Alright I think I've let you muse long enough child," Father Ermenegilde says angrily, standing up so forcefully he knocks the chair over. Viki also knocks her chair over standing, "Don't you dare chastise her!" She walks over and pulls her daughter close. The two glare at each other.

Poor Star glances back and force at the bickering adults then starts to cry startling the two out of their feud. Viki picks up her baby, "It's ok sweetie, you said nothing wrong. You said so yourself adults are silly sometimes." "She's right you know," Drogo interrupts confronting the priest, "I'm the one who thought of it, get mad at me not Star." "What could make you think of such a blasphemy?" Zelig asks startled. The boy glances around the room. Everyone has a similar expression.

Drogo looks at the ground, "But I was just trying to think of a nice way to say "hi" to the Mithras after everything because I wanted to be friends." He looks back up, "But we all feel the same emotions don't we? We all are happy and sad. We all laugh and cry. So shouldn't we all have hope?" Zelig nods, "Of course."

"Then the error would lie with the comparison with the Beastmen," Father Ermenegilde returns his glare to Star. "There is no error!" Viki shouts baring her fangs at the old man. He does not stand down. Star starts to struggle and Viki puts her down. She runs over to Zelig. Drogo also backs away.

"Now I know the Mithras and the Tarutaru better than most Elvaans," Father Ermenegilde shouts pointing, "And there is nothing in either tradition that would merit such dangerous analogies!" "That's because it comes from beyond our traditions!" she points back, "She heard it with her own ears!"

"Heard it? What do you mean, 'heard it'?!" Father Ermenegilde asks surprised. Viki stands, "We all speak with a hidden voice, the voice of our hearts. I can hear that voice, so can my daughter. And language is no barrier. It is always the same voice. Including the Beastmen! It is the same language we all have, the Five races."

"I have never heard of such a thing," Father Ermenegilde says sternly, but his eyebrows give away his confusion. He breathes heavily. Viki also takes a few deep breaths, "Traditionally, children born with this power are killed, because people believe the curse is so strong in us that we are no better than Beastmen. Those of us that survive must come to terms with ourselves before we can face the world that accuses us.

My baby's heart has found her meaning, but I like my grandmother's Mizar explanation, we are all born of Nature, we are all born in the same manner. Our ears are open to this truth. It is only because others can not stomach that truth that they kill the messenger. Altana and Promathia aside, we are all born of the Crystal, a part of the Nature it created. Isn't that enough for everyone? That we are together as one in its light?"

Father Ermenegilde goes to sit down with a plop. "Father don't!" the adults shout out but it's too late. The elderly Elvaan tumbles backwards and lands with a loud thud. The women dash over to help him up. Father Ermenegilde rubs his lower back, his face consumed with pain.

Viki puts her hand on his back, "You really should consider using soap behind your ears," she says curing him. "What do you mean by that?" he moans. Star pokes her mother, "Umm Mommy?" She looks down at her baby, "What is it sweetie?" "When I hear someone say bad words in their secret voice do I tell Altana or do I only do it when they use their mouth?" The old man blushes horribly. Bluesky puts her hands over her mouths. "Oh Good Gracious!" she exclaims. Zelig only laughs.


	18. Chapter 17: Tin Soldiers and Toy Drums

**Chapter 17: Tin Soldiers and Toy Drums**

It's mid morning and the women of the family and the Mithras gather again to open the safes. They hang blankets and bed sheets over the clothes line to block the view from the street. The safes and tools are feed through a window instead of risking being seen coming around the front.

The mages begin. They cast Freeze on one of them over and over while Zelig swings the hammer while Viki holds the drilling spike. It gets cold enough that Viki's and Zelig's breath starts to fog but they can't quite get it cold enough to shatter. "Alright that's enough!" Viki orders. "Lets take a break then switch spells."

"Yes Major!" The mages run in circles trying to interrupt their next spells. "We're all done here Major," one say after they stop moving. Viki nods, "Good." She runs over to the vegetable patch and starts rubbing her arms and hands franticly and jumping up and down, "Ok Viki, warm up warm up," to the giggles of the others Mithras and a few Humes.

After a short time she stops jumping. "Ok then are we ready to try again?" she says still shaking her hands. "Yes Ma'am," answers the mages. They line up again. This time they alternate between Freeze and Flare. Zelig gives the spike a full force swing and the metal finally starts to break. Soon it shatters enough to open a hole through the side. Viki looks in then puts her arm though the hole. She pulls out only chard paper and ash. Bluesky hits her knees, "We risked our lives only for scraps!" she moans. "Don't panic. We still have one more to go," Viki says standing up.

The second safe goes quicker now that they know the system. Viki peers into the hole. "Jackpot!" she screams. She looks up at Zelig, "Keep swinging." She picks up the spike again, "Girls keep casting we need to crack this one completely open." They nod and start casting again.

It takes time and snacks for the children but eventually they break the entire safe into pieces. The melted mess glistens in the sun. The golden mass is striped with swills of other metals and as they turn it over to inspect the bottom, it is fused with gem stones that sank to the bottom of the molten blob. The Mithras high five each other as the Hume women hug.

Suddenly two dockworkers come running up the way. They are waving and shouting loudly, "They're alive! They're alive! The Iceberg just came into port! The Iceberg just came into port!"

The Hume women drop what they are doing, lift up their skirts, and rush towards the harbor. The Mithras turn to Viki looking for orders. She waves them off and they follow after the women. "What do you want me to do?" Drogo asks. "You kids stay here and help guard the things," Zelig says. Drogo nods smiling. "I'll stay here with the kids," Viki says, "You go help your family." Zelig hobbles off as fast as he can after the others.

The women come to the harbor and see the Iceberg. The men are on deck waving and shouting. The workers on the dock are scrabbling looking for things to throw over the sea wall as a cushion to bring the ship in to dock. The storm destroyed all the wooden structures leaving only the stone cores and causeway below the seawall.

Ropes are lowered down and some of the men climb up while others secure the boat into harbor. Everyone scrambles and hoists old Jacob off the boat. Zelig is there and takes his hand, "I knew you'd come back!" They hug.

"Wish I'd been that certain. Oh that storm brought back nightmares of when you saved me when we where lads." They let go and stand in front of each other. Jacob looks around at the harbor. He starts to cry and puts his hand over his mouth in disbelief, "…Oh my Goddess… If the Sahagins had left anything to destroy…" he mumbles. "I know…" Zelig adds.

All the hugging and tears fade quickly as some crewmen uncover the hold overflowing with fish. To the surprise of the family, silence overtakes the dock as the men stare at the hold. Some wipe drool from there mouths. The moment of silence fads as quickly as it began as men rush to find anything that can be used to unload the boat. Jacob turns to Zelig, "Can we talk in private?"

Zelig nods and they leave and find a quiet place at the dock away from the chaos enveloping the boat. "I take it the food rationing has gotten worse?" Zelig looks at the ground, "I wouldn't be surprised if some of those men haven't eaten in days." Jacob bobs his head slightly in recognition.

Suddenly he looks up, "Zelig tell me, has the bodies of a Mithra and Elvaan male been found in the water yet?" He jumps back surprised, "…Yes…" Zelig finally starts, "Yes a Mithra was found the other day but no Elvaan has been dredged up. Why an Elvaan?" Jacob puts his head in his hands, "Oh that poor woman…" he laments. Zelig panics when he realizes who the Elvaan is, "Where is Bluegollum?" Jacob starts the sad story:

"We were coming out of port when the storm was coming in. The pirate couple where out on deck with the crew readying to sneak underneath the drawbridge…

Jason puts his hand over his eyes to shield them from the pouring rain. He's peering up at the bridge. "Do we have enough clearance?!" Daniel shouts standing in the door frame of the steering house, "We can't see a thing through the windows." Jason shouts back over the torrent, "Yea, we'll be fine!"

"But…" he mumbles looking back up at the bridge. The woman, now a samurai, points at Jason concerned and they carefully jog over though the waves. "What is it?"

Jason points up, "There's someone on the bridge." They all shield their eyes from the rain and look up. "Looks like Bear-Bear," the woman says. "Is she drunk?" Jason asks. "Oh Goddess no!" yells the Elvaan Ninja.

He runs to the side rail screaming, "Bearstar get away from the edge!" but he his barely audible over the storm. A sudden gust of wind pushes the Mithra over the side and plunges into the water. The Ninja jumps in before anyone can reach him. Daniel seeing this runs out and helps his brother grab the woman just before she reaches the side.

"Artie!..." She struggles to get away as the drag her back from the edge, "Daddy let me go! Let me Go!" She head butts Daniel and smashes Jason's foot. She spin kicks the two to the deck and runs towards the stern. As they pass under the bridge they get up and chase after her. They grab her as she hangs over the side arms outstretched into the blinding rain, "Artmael! Artmael S Evanglemagne Don't do this to me!"

She crumbles into a ball on the deck as waves washes over her, "Bear-Bear, Gollum don't do this to me…" she mumbles over and over again…"

Zelig's eyes bug out in shock, "Evanglemagne you say?" Jacob is still looking to the ground and doesn't see his face. "…Yes… That is the name Jason said she said…" Zelig is imagining Bluegollum and Lord Narcisse side by side, "They can't be related… Can they?" he thinks to himself.

Jacob's jagged breaths and teary eyes as he looks up snaps him out of it, "Even if I had known at the time… Even if… I couldn't have turned back right? …I mean even if there wasn't a storm … that's the most dangerous part of the harbor… right?" Jacob can't hold it in anymore and plunges into Zelig. "I've never lost a man before… in all my years…" Zelig can only hug him.

Jason come up to them, "Father, some of these people are starving and have no money to buy the fish they are unloading." Jacob pulls his face from Zelig's shirt, "Talk to your brothers, you know what I raised you to do." Jason runs off.

A few minutes latter, Michael climbs up on the roof of the wheel house and calls out to the crowd, "Everyone! We just became aware of the stricter food rationing that gone into effect while we were gone! Take what you can carry and feed your families! These fish belong to you!" Deafening cheers and clapping overwhelm the ears. The unloading takes on a new frenzy and women and children with baskets soon join the rush as runners spread the message through Port.

Looking up from comforting is crying brother, Zelig sees Daniel's oldest son Nathan filling women's baskets with fish. Remembering something he frantically starts waving and calling over to him, "Nathan! Nathan get over here right now!"

Jacob removes his face from Zelig's shirt and looks up to see a frightened face. Nathan politely excuses himself and comes over. "What's wrong?" Jacob asks standing straight. "What is it Uncle?" he says arriving. Zelig puts his hand on Nathan's shoulder, "Nathan this may not make sense but I want you to go back to the house and stay there the rest of the day." "But why I'm needed here?"

"What's going on?" Daniel runs up, "Are you ok Dad?" "I'm fine," Jacob wipes his face on his sleeve. "Uncle Zelig wants me to go home and not help with the unload." "Oh not more crazy talk," Daniel says. "Don't tell me that woman talked you into believing that nonsense. Look around you Uncle, why would someone steal fish that is being given away? Do you really think one of these women is hiding a pistol in her bosom?"

"I don't know anything about a gun. All I was told was…" Nathan cuts him off, "You're way too superstitious for your own good Uncle." "Come on son, let's get back to the women." He and Daniel walk away.

"Hey wait!"

Jacob tugs on his arm before Zelig can waddle off after them, "Brother what's this about?"

Screams of women and children begin to spread through Port over the top of advancing drumming. An entire battalion of Hume soldiers has invaded the harbor. They begin to attack the civilians, stealing their baskets of fish and herding them together. A well armored soldier with an amplifying cone climbs up high on some crates.

He begins to scream through it, _"I am Commander Kent! In concordance with the decree of President Prien of the precedence of the war, In the name of Bastok we here by confiscate all material possessions needed for the war effort!"_

"Like hell you are!" comes a voice of the crowd, "I haven't eaten in four days and my kids haven't eaten in two!" Men begin to grab whatever is handy to defend their wives and sisters from the soldiers. The scuffles don't last long as the soldiers begin beating the men ruthlessly although no weapons wave been drawn yet.

"_All those who stand in opposition to the government will be considered as Traitors and will be dealt with accordingly!"_ Commander Kent screams though the cone.

Stray cries of "Let us eat!" soon turns into a deafening chant through the crowd. Commander Kent tries screaming through the cone again but even he can't hear himself over _"LET US EAT! LET US EAT! LET US EAT!"_

A shot rings out. Only Altana knows who it was. The government authored history books record the brave soldiers defending essential war supplies against a band of thugs, instead of starving women and children.

Swords are drawn and blood pours onto the cobblestones. Commander Kent is seen standing sword in the air next to a musket unit. He orders three volleys into the crowd. People collapse in droves, men, women, even some of his own men. Soldiers drag off the wounded and those beaten unconscious for arrest. Old Jacob is dragged off.

"Grandpa!" Nathan tries to rescue him. "Nathan No!" Zelig tries to grab him but he's too slow and falls. As he's falling he manages to hook his leg with his cane and they hit the ground together. A fourth volley fires at point blank range. As they both bring their bloody noses up from the pavement they witness the people surrounding them literally cut in half. Various body parts and parts of parts rain down on them. An eye ball still attached to the cheekbone and part of a forehead rolls in front of Nathan. The green eye stares blankly at him. A tear wells up and falls. Nathan screams.

Suddenly the sky turns jet black. Soldiers drop their sword and guns and cover their ears to the terrible screeching, like thousands of fingernails being drawn over chalkboards.

They descend.

Thousands of birds blanket every surface. Finches to falcons, herons to hummingbirds, all clawing, pecking and flapping their wings beating the soldiers while ignoring the civilians. They drive the soldiers away, chasing them all the way across the Rye Bridge. But they find no refuge in Markets.

It is as if every bird has gone rabid. Even the pet parrots and cockatoos rattle and shake their cages trying to escape. As the last of the soldiers flee across the bridge, the Mithras charge into the carnage. They tie tourniquets where they can but there are only two White Mages among them and Viki is notably absent.

In the midst of the moans, screams, and screeching, frenzied splashing is heard in the harbor. The ropes begin to pull taut, and those able pick up the abandoned weapons head for the water's edge.

Someone throws a sloping wet Healer's Cap over the sea wall. Then a drenched Galka with white hair pulls himself over. He shakes off like a dog and looks back over the side, "Alright toss them up!" With the skill of a fishmonger he catches Tarutarus and drops them on the ground just in time to catch the next one. Other Humes, Elvaans, and Galkas begin popping up over the side. The able men peer over the side.

Adventures, by the dozens. Some are swimming, others are in row boats. They drop their weapons and scream towards the others to hold on. The surviving women, children, and Mithras stare not knowing what to think, but with smiles and tears beg the dying to keep breathing as a tsunami of San d'Orian Reds and Whites and Jeuno Blues crests over the seawall and crashes like an avalanche into the massacre.

Zelig, upper body still completely able, lies on his stomach and begins pulling people from the boats.

He helps pull up several warriors including a Hume female corsair. "Honey! Catch My Bag!" a Hume man in a white coat throws up a black leather case. "Got it now come on!" she yells back after catching it. "Grab my hand quick!" Zelig says leaning over. They clasps hands and meet face to face. Zelig freezes in shock.

"Patients first, preaching second," The old Doctor smiles back. "Now snap out of it and hurry up!" As he makes it over the wall, his wife fires her Trump Gun into the air. People stop to look at her but the birds are unaffected.

"Everyone!" she shouts at the tops of her lungs, "Make sure you give your bards a new song to sing of the glory of this day! And not the lamented dirges you meddling Mid-Landers heard as lullabies as babes!"

A few scattered cheers go throw the crowd and the mages join the chaos. The Doctor runs up to his wife and pecks her on the cheek, "That was beautiful darling. Can I have my bag now?" She gives it to him and he runs off. She turns to the other warriors, including a few other corsairs, "You three watch the boats. Make sure we are not followed by sea." They run off.

She turns to the others and puts her hand on the shoulder of another corsair, "Little brother, take the others and mind the bridge. If they come back along that route fire two shots and make a run for it. Jump in the water if you have to." He nods and waves to the others, "You heard the boss let's go!" They run carefully through the flock of birds, also standing strangely vigil at the bridge.

Screeching, screams, and scattered musket shots can still be discerned from deep inside Markets but they sit patiently waiting, not joining their feathered friends in their fiendish fight across the harbor.

The birds keep at it much of the afternoon, with one flock coming back over the seawall to rest while another takes their place like waves of soldiers. The skill of the mages saves all but seven, though many are so crippled and disfigured they wish they were among them.

As families hug and cry, whether in joy or mourning, several men cannot be found, Old Jacob among them. Panic spreads as everyone realizes they have been taken. The terror mounts for as suddenly as they came, the birds for no apparent reason begin to fly away in mass.

But the soldiers never return. The Mithras and the mages reassemble what they can of the remains of the dead in tarps and put him in the cart. The picking of the remaining birds make it easy to tell shattered flesh from smashed fish. The body parts of the living are collected to be burned.

As pieces of broken wood are being gathered, some Tarus begin shouting and waving frantically by a tall pile of crates at the end of the causeway. The Doctor sees them and rushes over. The mages are tending to an unconscious Mithra in Bison leathers. "She's breathing but she's not waking up," says a frightened Taru. The Doctor carefully moves her head and straightens her out. As he does this her hat comes off and her long brown hair is let loose. The Tarutarus all jumped back startled, "She looks just like…" The Doctor stands, "Mithras! Your Major is over here! She needs Help!"

The smell of burning flesh and pine smoke fill the air as the sun sets. The last of the birds finish their rewards of scattered fish over the ground and leave. Watching them fly into the sun, the sailors point at the foaming waves in the harbor.

The heavens open up one more time, as if mourning the dead. The family heads are gathered in the flickering lamplight at Jacob's. The children are absent, scattered with the Mithras though the various homes.

Major Viki lies in Jacob's bed, her Bison Warbonnet on Drogo's night stand next to the bed. Father Ermenegilde with Nathan and Daniel come in from the rain. "Have you finished blessing the bodies?" Zelig asks. Father Ermenegilde removes his rain cloak. His face is wet but not from the rain.

"Yes, may the tarps keep the holy water from washing away." He takes a chair and hits it with a thud, "How is Viki?" "She's sleeping," the Doctor says, "She's had a bad knock on the head. She must have fallen from on top that cargo stack." "What's wrong with her? She hasn't awoken since we found her passed out at the dock?" asks Josey. "She seems to be suffering for exhaustion, but she had no blood on her when we found her, so from what I don't know.

"Viki is a powerful Beastmaster. I've witnessed her control entire flocks of birds before," Father Ermenegilde says. Nathan jumps back shocked, "Are you saying little her did all that!" "Don't underestimate her. She's small but she's a firecracker," Father Ermenegilde answers.

"More like a stick of dynamite," Zelig says smiling meekly. Normally he would be laughing but the slight smirk is all he can muster. "I heard that…" a tired voice struggles to say. Everyone turns to see Viki leaning against the door frame looking like the morning after. There's a rush to stand and give her their seat, but she plops down on Josey's, the closest one.

"You shouldn't be moving yet," the Doctor pleads. She looks up dreary-eyed at him, "It's you isn't it? I know the voice but not quite the face." Father Ermenegilde surrenders his chair to Josey and stands with the rest of the men listening to them. The Doctor nods, "Yes I've come back as well."

His wife is standing watch at the window, but is fascinated by a white feather she's twirling in her fingertips. "I've never been much for religion. Prayer has only been a waste of time and energy trying to survive under to iron grip of Imperial occupation. Life is nothing but a game of chance in the Archipelago, " she begins, "But after all this…" she runs the fletching of her feather over her dirty hand, parting and mending it, but it remains a pristine white, "I just don't know anymore."

"That is a beautiful feather," Father Ermenegilde says, "It definitely rivals the purest white we use to paint the Goddess' wings." She twirls the feather again, "You would be pleasantly surprised priest," she turns her gaze from the feather to him and chuckles. "Though even if you don't live to see the twenty years, a man cocky enough to claim to know the ways of the gods must have an Ace up his sleeve to ensure his Witness upon death?" she taunts.

"I have completely sacrificed my own desires to follow the will of the Goddess," he answers, "If you consider Her teaching to guide souls into Paradise cheating in some way I beg to differ."

The Doctor shakes his head, "You've been married to me how long yet you don't believe that the way you throw the dice has just as much to do will the outcome as Lady Luck?" She rolls her eyes and laughs mockingly. "What do you mean by that?" Zelig asks. "My father was a fisherman, and also a gambler. He was almost killed a few times for cheating at dice but he never did. He taught me a way to hold the dice to get the sum you want without using loaded dice."

"The corsairs operate completely separately from your Tenshodo, we don't take kindly to intrusions and humiliation," his wife starts, "When a Tenshodo ship's doctor was accused of cheating some of our men, we kidnapped him to make him confess, but he claimed he did no such thing and that his goddess was more powerful than our Lady Luck. Our leader challenged him to a game. He won.

As a final test we gave him loaded dice and told him to roll the exact opposite of what they were weighted for. He did it the first time, every time. He was invited to the crew but he only asked to go home. The power of his Altana intrigued some of our crew including my little brother, and I ended up chasing after him…" she walks over to him and poses seductively, arms around his neck, "only to get caught in a completely different net."

He blushes horribly, "Forgive her Father!" he shouts as she twists around him. "Honey please we're in the presence of clergy! Can't this wait?" he whispers frantically.

"Has anyone ever told you that your Lady Luck might actually be the will of Altana is disguise?" Viki asks thoughtfully.

The corsair stops cooing her husband and turns to look at her. She studies Viki thoroughly, scanning her with the eyes. She wraps an arm around her side and puts her other hand to her chin in a thinking pose, "Yes, a few years ago actually. She was a traveling Vestal Chambermaid. The word Altana was never far from her lips." "Speaking of which we should get back to Jeuno," says the Doctor, "One of my patients is fighting pneumonia as we speak."

Suddenly there's a joyous commotion coming from the road. The Doctor looks out the window. "Not good!" he turns to his wife, "Darling, the warp scrolls hurry!" She digs through her bag and takes two instant warp scrolls out. They vanish as there is a knock on the door. "Let me in please," says a familiar but almost lifeless voice. They run outside and see Old Jacob being carried underarm by the Doctor's younger self.

The family gathers around Jacob and helps him still distraught and exhausted into the home. Bluesky gives up her chair for him and begins tending him. The young Doctor comes into the house with them, "Major Viki!"

"Hello Doctor," she says breathlessly, wobbling in her chair trying to stay upright. "Are you all right?" he run over and starts examining her. "I've already been treated, thank you. It's just been a long day."

"Damn those soldiers and damn this war!" he laments. "Bless those Adventures though. Looking back over what happened in Markets this morning, it's almost if they knew this was going to happen." "What do you mean by that?" Michael demands.

The young Doctor turns to him, "The Adventures began gathering last night, but most arrived this morning. Normally Adventures are friendly with the soldiers but today they were hostile to say the least." "Was there a fight? We heard gun shots," asks Jason.

The Doctor shakes his head, "No, there would have been though if the birds hadn't gone crazy. The Military is on high alert because they fear Beastmen Beastmasters were behind it as some type of diversion." He looks at the ground, "I'm ashamed to say this but I never thought I'd be happy about a Beastmen attack."

Zelig shakes his head, "It was no Beastman, though a beast none the less." Viki glares at him, "I may look drunk but I'm still conscious you know." The young Doctor turns to her, "So it was you and your Mithras controlling the birds?" "Nope, it was just me. I'm the only Beastmaster here."

"You were the only one controlling the birds? There must have been thousands." Viki starts to giggle, "Now you know why I look like something the cat dragged in." He turns to Zelig, "Zelig is there I chance I may see your leg? I heard that you've been injured." "Of course you may," Zelig carefully lifts himself from the chair and with the Doctor's and Viki's help they go to the bedroom.

Zelig takes down his pants exposing his knee. He tries desperately not to yell as he twists and kneads it. "Did a Taru treat you?" he asks. "Yes one did why?" Zelig answers.

The Doctor shakes his head, "The way the tendons are reattached matches what I know of Tarutaru anatomy instead of any Galkas I've ever seen. That's why you can't walk." He stands up, "It would be a lengthy operation, and the risks will be enormous. Correcting the mistake is beyond my skill."

"It's not above mine," Viki says shaking her head. She moves to help Zelig put his pants back on. "You? Are you certain?" the Doctor asks. "Absolutely," she says glancing up at him briefly, "It will be simple enough, it will just take time." "How will you do it?"

"One small incision at a time. You other races know nothing of patience. You rely on magic and technology so heavily you have forgotten the healing power that naturally is a part of us." She starts to laugh, "Though I guess it comes down to it we can always do it your way and cut the whole leg off with a hacksaw and put it back on straight with some animal glue!" Zelig grimaces, "That's not funny Viki!" She stands now finished with his pants, "Oh don't worry, I'm only kidding… sort of…"

Bluesky gets a good look at her father-in-law's torn shirt. "Father Jacob! Where's your medal?" she gasps. Everyone turns to him. Seeing it gone, even the men start to cry. "Father what happened?" Michael begs.

"It was ripped from my neck during the interrogation. Some poor misguided soul is probably going to tell stories to his grandchildren over his bravery in battle." Jacob sighs. "That medal has protected me for so long, but when it was found on me I was accused of being the ringleader of a past riot and fingered as the instigator for today's massacre." "A riot? You mean when you saved my unit from being attacked?" Zelig says shocked. Jacob nods.

"Captain Balor would have never reported such a thing! I talked to him, he said he reported that you calmed the crowd." "They are doing nothing but intimidation to try to cover this up, that's all," says Jacob exhausted.

"That and the fact everyone in High Command is scared out of their minds between the birds and the intrusion into the Metalworks," the young Doctor says. "There was an attack on the Metalworks?" Zelig says shocked.

He nods, "A group of people dressed like Aht Urhgan pirates made their way into a storage bay full of the boats used by the Engineers. The door they entered from can only be assessed from Cid's office and only he and the higher ups know the combinations for the door locks." "How do you know all this?" Jason asks. "There must have been a powerful mage among them. No one was seriously hurt but someone casted a powerful sleep spell and knocked everyone out cold. The person I was treating talks in his sleep."

"Is that way you were in the holding cells with us?" Jacob asks. He nods, "They rounded all of us up for questioning, but don't worry. I was alone in the room at the time and I've kept my mouth shut. They don't know I know about the door." "And yet you have told us," glares Zelig. The Doctor gets flustered when he realizes his mistake. He looks at the ground, "Sorry."

"There's no need for that young man," Jacob says, "This family is probably the safest one you can talk to." "Father you have got to be kidding me!" protests Josey, "After everything that has happened this past week how can you be so easy going?" "This past week? What has happened while we were out at sea sister?" Michael asks. The women all turn to look at the young Doctor. "Well… Umm…" they begin to stutter.

"I'm sorry to impose…" the Doctor interrupts, "But I have nowhere to sleep tonight, do you know of a safe place?" "After helping me young man I'm sure my family can make room somewhere," says Jacob. The women go bug-eyed at the thought of another body to squeeze into the sardine cans of their already tiny homes.

He shakes his head, "No I can't do that. I'm already is so much trouble, helping you will be the last straw, I know it will. I need to find a place to disappear for awhile. I'll probably have to leave Bastok at this rate." "If you're in that dire straights young man why didn't you bring any belongings with you when we left your home?" Jacob asks shocked. The young Doctor pulls out a small worn leather pouch from under is shirt, "This is all I need. See, I'm from Selbina originally." He starts to whimper, "They were… my dads…he…and my mom…my sisters…"

Father Ermenegilde walks up to him and comforts him. Jacob puts his face in his hands for a moment then looks up at the now crying young man, "Boy, in Bastok there is only one way to disappear. And that road to sin and damnation is not to be taken lightly. If you wish to gamble with your soul for a chance to take another breath, than go walk the back alleyways behind the warehouses. If you're not stabbed to death by the thugs, there you will find the only chance you got."

"Grandpa Jacob you can't be pointing him to the Tenshodo!" Nathan shouts. The young Doctor stares blankly at Nathan then at Jacob. "I'm sorry boy, but it's the only way. If you're determined not to endanger others, then your only path is to take the walk to the warehouses."

Jacob shakes his head, "Even under normal circumstances, no one can survive alone in this world for long. The fish swim together, birds fly together, and the animals live in groups under various names. People are the only creatures that seek solitude. And that solitude never comes to good ends." He looks up at him, "But with this war child… we need each other more than ever. If you are willing to test your luck, you'll need to hide in the shadows until a pirate ship agrees to take you on board. It's the only way."

The young doctor searches the room, no one is able to look him in the face, even Father Ermenegilde. "Fair enough then," he says trembling, "Guess I have no choice then." He turns to Viki, "I hope your daughter will be well." Viki nods, "And I will pray for your safety."

The young man walks to the door but turns around before he walks out and bows deeply to everyone in the room, "Good bye, and thank you for everything." "We should be the ones thanking you young man," Zelig says. "Good luck boy and I'm sorry," Jacob says.

About fifteen minutes latter there is a knock on the door. Nathan opens it and little Icie, Ceddie, Star and Drogo run in escorted by two older cousins. "Mommy! Mommy! Look what the nice man gave me!" Star holds in her hands a set of white dice.

"Where did you get these?" Viki asks taking them in her hand. As the others are all hugging Jacob, and elder cousin turns to Viki, "We met a man kneeling in the middle of the road on the way here. The children recognized him and ran up…"

"Hey you're the doctor from the hospital a few months ago aren't you?" Drogo asks. "Gamesage, Star what a nice surprise, and who are these other two?" "I'm Ceddie sir and this is my sister Icie." "Nice to meet you both." "Kids what are you doing? Stay away from strangers!" The two girls run up.

"He's not a stranger, he's our friend," Drogo says turning to them. "I'm a doctor misses," he says placing one hand on Drogo and the other on Star, "I've treated these children and their parents here on several occasions." "What are you doing on the ground?" asks Icie. He turns to her, "I was just praying."

A thought hops through his head, "Star I have a present for you." "Really!" she claps her hands excitedly. He nods, "Here hold your hand out." He empties his bag into his own hand revealing three sets of dice, one white, one red, one blue. "How dare you give dice to children!" the cousin protests. He looks up at her, "These were my father's lucky dice, and trust me this girl need all the luck in the world."

"Why you say "were"? Aren't they lucky anymore?" Star asks. He shakes his head, "No these dice are always lucky, just that my father gave them to me to give me luck and now I'm giving these two to you." He takes the white pair and puts them in her hands.

"And he said his daddy says a prayer with this game and he taught it to me!" Star interrupts, "He said, 'Altana as I hold these dice in my hands you hold my life in yours, Whether I roll snake eyes or lucky seven it is your will be done.' See he said that if the dice have one dot each that's called snake eyes and you lose the game but if the dots add up the seven you win the game!" She claps excitedly, "Can we play Mommy! Please?"

Jacob looks over at them from hugging Ceddie, Icie and Drogo, "Actually young lady, I think it's time for all of us to go to bed." Star looks up at her mother disappointed. Viki shakes her head as well and pulls her daughter over for a hug, "He's right. We have had a very long day and it's time to go to bed." She looks down and smiles for her daughter.


	19. Chapter 18: An Eternal Repose

**Chapter 18: An Eternal Repose**

The clocks chime 4 A.M., but no trace of light greets this Lightsday. Father Ermenegilde has spent the night in Port, counseling the mourners and the disfigured. He makes his way sleepily across the Rye Bridge to give service.

As he crosses into Markets, he is jumped by a group of men, but a hood is tied around his head before he can see who it is. He struggles as hard as his old frame can manage only to be beaten unconscious in the back of the head.

When he comes to, he is tied to a chair in a dark room with a single lamp. "Ah you've come to, that's good. I'd hate to think of the unpleasantries that would keep a pious man as yourself from service." As his eyes adjust to the light, he sees he's in a room filled with soldiers. He looks up at the one who is talking to him, "I recognize you. You're the man from yesterday."

"Ah then you confess to being in league with the thugs who attack a shipment of vital supplies for the glory of Bastok?" muses the soldier. It's Commander Kent. Father Ermenegilde glares at the soldier, "If in league you mean fulfilling my duties to the Temple and bring comfort to the mourning, then I do confess," he says hostilely.

Commander Kent sits down across from the elderly priest, "Why were you in Port yesterday? A man of such status shouldn't be mingling with the rabble." "In my youth I married a very memorable couple. I always visit their surviving children when I come to Bastok." "I see, and who is this family?" "That's none of your concern."

Commander Kent stands angrily tipping his chair backwards and grips Father Ermenegilde's chin forcefully. He leans down and stares him in the eyes, "You lucky Father that I need you face pure for now, but don't temped me. I have an alternative if need be." He lets go and walks a few steps away. "Monitor his preparations and attend his service," he orders the soldiers in the room, "Make sure there is no mention of yesterday and bring him back here when prayers are over." "Yes sir!" they all salute.

"Confession serves the soul well child," Father Ermenegilde begins, "or are you planning to tell your grandchildren you earned the worn Medal of Altana you have there by killing women and children?" Commander Kent turns and they exchange glares, "Definitely bring him back here and make sure he struggles thoroughly." "Yes sir!" they all salute.

The clouds break mid morning. Port emerges from her mournful night to find the rain as washed all traces of the massacre away. Not even the grout between the cobblestones is stained with even the slightest hint of blood. Jacob and Viki, still not recovered, lay in the bedroom, him on the bed and her on a soft stack of sleeping mats.

Soldiers are everywhere in Port. Bluesky peaks out the window and sees a group of them dragging off a disfigured woman to the screams of her children. "There's no going out playing today," she says looking back in the room. Drogo nods, "That's ok, we can find something to do in here."

It's well past noon and Jason keeps looking towards the Rye Bridge, "Father Ermenegilde should have come back by now," Jason says, "I hope he's ok." He looks back in the house. Drogo is in Zelig's lap reading a book out loud to both him and Ceddie. Bluesky and Icie are playing dollies. And Jacob and Viki, now awake, are teaching a dice game to Star.

Jason shakes his head. "I can't believe they are teaching a babe to gamble," he thinks. He looks back up at them and sees Jacob digging under his mattress, "Father what are you doing? She's only five years old!" Jacob pulls out his deck of cards and holds it up, "Come on son, come join us for a game?"

Commander Kent is in the Infirmary looking over some of his men. "What's wrong with them?" "They seem to be under the influence of a powerful sleeping spell but nothing we have done has lifted it. We may just have to wait for it to wear off to know what really happened out there," the attending doctor answers. Commander Kent turns to one of his men, "You where the one who discovered them correct sergeant?" "Yes sir!" he salutes. "Take me to the scene and describe what you saw." "Yes sir! Right this way sir!"

Commander Kent is led in escort to one of Bastok's poorer graveyards. "When we arrived to change guard we found all the men here under tarps. The tarps where suspended over their heads with sticks, probably to allow for breathing." He then waves his hand out over the graveyard, "The sun has dried the ground somewhat, but you can still see a large swath of it is bone dry as if no rain fell here at all." He walks over a few steps and points at the mud. "You can see here the crisp line between where it fell and where it's dry. This sharp line extends in a large circle over the entire graveyard. It seems unnatural sir."

"A scholar has the ability to change the weather over an area like this," Commander Kent muses out loud. He turns to his sergeant, "Have any new graves been discovered?" The sergeant stagers, "Well… when we discovered the men… we secured the area from Beastmen we transported them directly to the Infirmary… We have yet to search the graves." Commander Kent is furious, "Well don't just stand there like a fool! Begin the sweep now and mark any new graves!" "Yes sir!"

An hour latter the sweep is complete. The sergeant walks up and salutes, "Sir the operation is complete. We have found seven new graves." "Take me to them," he orders.

Commander Kent is led to the nearest grave. He kneels down and runs the newly turned dust through his fingers. He reads the inscription. The date of death is the day before. The eulogy framed in eighth notes reads _"They mounted to Heaven on eagles' wings… No sword will stop the bards to sing of the day filled with joy and sorrow… With tin soldiers standing all in a row…"_ "All seven of the new graves have that same inscription," the sergeant says, "and all the stones are carved of this same granite. It's not native to Bastok, I know that much."

Commander Kent stands up and dusts off his hands. "Destroy the headstones and dig up the bodies and burn them," he orders. The sergeant jumps back shocked. "You heard me soldier!" he shouts furiously.

"Yes! By all means, help us and the Shadow Lord defeat your country and slaughter your love ones by adding to our ranks," a deep voice says almost echoing in its throat. It begins to laugh maniacally. Commander Kent and the soldiers with him draw their weapons and look around. "Who's there!" he orders.

A Shade appears out of thin air behind them. It casts a spell and the soldiers begin dropping like flies leaving Commander Kent alone. Other undead of all varieties begin to swarm around him. "How can it be? It's the middle of the day!" he screams frightened out of his mind.

The desert heat begins casting mirages as the deep throated Shade walks over to him. "This is a graveyard is it not? Why wouldn't we be here?" Commander Kent attacks but is thrown aside easily by its unworldly strength.

Commander Kent is shaking so hard he can only crawl to try to get away. He is quickly backed into an old headstone and surrounded by the undead swarm. "What do you want from me?"

The Shade kneels down and looks him in the face, "Only checking on the souls for our Lord's latest recruits." It grabs him by the chin just like he had done to Father Ermenegilde and turns his face back and forth examining him while Commander Kent whimpers. "Hmmm…" it muses, "Not quite ripe yet."

The Shade takes off its hood revealing its head. It leans in and goes nose to former nose and eyeball to eye socket with the terrified Commander. "But it won't be long now 'til you're ready for harvest." It licks its exposed teeth with bloodlust then opens wide and sticks out its rotting tongue. Commander Kent covers his head with his arms and screams a new falsetto.

It goes deathly quiet. He peaks through his arms and sees the Shade is gone. He glances frantically around him. The undead swarm is also gone. Some of the other soldiers begin to stand shaking their heads to get the sleepiness out of there eyes. "Commander!" the sergeant shouts running over to him. He kneels down, "Are you alright sir? You're ghostly pale." "Retreat! And tell High Command that there is an undead swam nearing Bastok! Hundreds of them!" he orders in a high soprano to the surprise of his men.

As the last of the soldiers run out of sight, a Revenant pops into view. The other undead soon follow. "That was really terrifying what you did to that man," says the Revenant in a squeaky voice, "I think I peed my pants a little. Are you really you in there?"

The Shade laughs slapping its knees. "Of course it's me. Who'd you think it was?" it says in a familiar voice. "You'll get used to him," says a Zombie in a familiar female voice. A Lich slaps the Revenant on the back, "Welcome to the linkshell Noob!" "So how long are we doing this for?" it asks.

The Shade stops laughing abruptly and angrily confronts it. "How every long it takes to protect the graves!" it screams. The female Zombie grabs the Shade by the shoulders, "Stop it Doggie!" The Revenant hides behind the legs of a Shadow.

"Come back here you little Taru so I can kick you into next Lightsday!" The Zombie slaps the shade in the face, "Stop it! I know how you feel but don't take it out on innocent people!" She whimpers, "If she was here she'd yell at you too."

The Shade storms off bitterly towards a dead tree. As it rounds the other side is jumps back surprised. Then it turns back towards the others. "Ah…guys…" it says sheepishly, "Does anyone have any gil? Someone is gonna have to make a Maw run soon." It points behind the tree.

Everyone runs over to find a sleeping Shade next to an open gobbie bag with Harvest Festival candy and cookie crumbs all over the place. "Oh you have got to be kidding me," a Lich says. The Shade pinches the bridge of its nose, "My bad. I should have hidden them better."

The Zombie walks up to it and waves its bone finger, "Baby how could you? Bad wyvern Bad!" it scolds. The sleeping Shade lifts its head to look at its master then unnaturally bends its leg and uses its boot to scratch behind its ear.

Father Ermenegilde has spent the hours since he gave service alone in the locked room. He sits on the ground next to the flickering lamp and prays for salvation holding a small statue of the Goddess that looks like it has been skillfully mended. A diamond has been set in an awkward cavity over Her heart. It glows softly in the dim light causing the gem to twinkle.

He hears voices in the hallway and is standing piously when the door handle turns. Commander Kent along with other soldiers file into the room. "Are you Father Ermenegilde? The exorcist who has served the president during this war?" Commander Kent asks.

"Yes I am."

Commander Kent looks at the ground a moment collecting his thoughts. He then looks up, "President Prien has ordered a barrier be erected to protect against a suspected imminent undead attack. We are to escort you and assist you in all matters." "Very well then," Father Ermenegilde walks forward, "then let us be on our way." Father Ermenegilde stops and looks Commander Kent in the eyes. He smiles at the fear and nervousness in them, then walks out of the room.

The undead swam lays in wait as the soldiers return late afternoon. They are invisible to the living.

"Oh crap there's a priest with them! What do we do?" asks the Revenant. "Shh, don't worry," the Shade says, "We're not real undead. His spells won't affect the costumes. Just keep sneak and invisible up." He turns to watch Father Ermenegilde being led to one of the fresh graves, "Come on Father Ermenegilde! You were one of the smartest people I've ever known. Figure it out."

The elderly priest kneels down to inspect the gravestone. He smiles as he rubs his hands over the engraving, "This is a Windurstian mineral. It's rather expensive even in its native land. And it's an extremely hard rock at that. It should have taken weeks to carve this yet it has appeared here the day after."

He stands up and turns to the Commander, "and where are the other stones?" "Three are that way four, six, and seven rows exactly and the other four are in that direction, five and eleven rows," the sergeant points. "Thank you," he bows. Turning back to the Commander, "Set a perimeter and allow me to work in peace. This will take some time."

The soldiers leave and encircle the graveyard as commanded. The undead, still invisible, wait and watch. "What do you think is taking so long? Are they going to be alright?" asks the Revenant. "Don't worry you little worrywartaru," a Banshee says, "They grew up here and know that priest. They will be just fine as long as they keep invisible up."

The priest places a seal on one of the new headstones, "There that's the last of them. He stands up. "Thank you Father so much," comes a female voice out of nowhere. "You children are truly a blessing," he answers the voice. "Just be careful from now on. I don't want you and your friends tarnishing my reputation."

"We won't have to with that seal you've been using," the Shade says in astonishment, "I knew you were a smart man, but this goes way beyond 'Boom goes the bunny'. You've really checkmated that bastard." "And you're a very imaginative one… Drogo." Father Ermenegilde sighs, "Will you children be alright? I mean… after everything that has happened?" He can hear Gamesage whimper and sniffle. "We'll be fine Father," the female voice says. "Because of you we can return to Jeuno now."

"May I make a suggestion before you leave?" he asks the wind. "What?" Gamesage coughs. "It's been over forty years since the file rooms at the marriage office had a Chigoe infestation. I'm too old to drink Miracle Milk, but a young group of lads like yourselves can certainly give the exterminators a headache in the evidence rooms." Father Ermenegilde feels a large hand grab his arm and force something soft into is fingers. He feels the shape of the invisible object before it is removed from his grasp.

"I wish I could see what you've grown to become." It is Father Ermenegilde turn to be choked up. "Just look at Momma father, that's all you need." "Go with the blessing of Altana, children." "We always do," Blueice says perky, but he can tell she is crying as well although he cannot see her. "Come on," she orders, "Give me your hand and lets go to the others."

Father Ermenegilde can hear Gamesage's sniffling fad away down the row and he can barely contain his own tears listening to them leave. After he calms himself down he finishes the incantation and activates the seals to form the barrier.

He walks back over to Commander Kent and his men as they gather together. "I saw the seal's crest form in the sky," he says, "So it was a success?" "It was a perfect success," Father Ermenegilde says proudly. "As long as the seals anchors remain intact and unharmed the seal will protect Bastok for years to come." "Glad to hear it," Commander Kent says, "Where are the anchor points so they can be protected properly?"

Father Ermenegilde laughs, "They are the graves of the people you murdered! Now you can no longer hide your crimes from the world. For if you desecrate the graves, not only will the seal break but I have put in place a secondary spell that will activate if the graves are violated. A curse that will call the undead to gather!" He points at Commander Kent accusingly and waves his finger in his face, "As my good friend would say 'Checkmate'."

Back at the tree well out of ear shot, everyone has dropped their buffs and costumes and prepare to leave. Though now mostly other jobs, they are the faces of the heroes of the massacre none the less. Gamesage dressed in his Argute Attire kneels next to his bag and sighs. Blueice bites her lower lip seeing him holding his Wing Pendant.

The gouge is gone and minus a few extra dings looks no different than it was when he first won it twenty years prior. He then bites his own lip and presses it against his left eye aligning his own scar to where the gouge once was. A perfect match in both length and breadth.

Blueice looks on helplessly knowing there is no white spell to cure that kind of suffering.

"I can't believe a priest would put a curse on a grave," an Elvaan paladin says shaking his head. "Don't worry," Gamesage says putting his gobbie bag on his back, "That type of seal will last on average four or five years but that curse will die by tonight. It is just a bluff to protect the graves." As he looks up he sees Father Ermenegilde being thrown to the ground by Commander Kent.

"You bastard!" Gamesage screams and runs forward. "Grab him!" Blueice shouts. Everyone dog piles him, and nearly a ton of Hume, Elvaan, Galka, Mithra, and a sprinkling of Tarutaru flesh around the edges blocks him completely from view. A little Taru Black Mage wearing only his Kaftan set and Onion Staff pushes against an Elvaan's leg. Muffled screams of "Father!" come from deep inside the pile. "What the taru!" he says in his squeaky voice in total shock and dismay, as in spite the thousands of pounds, the mound slowly inches forward. "Father Ermenegilde!"

Commander Kent pulls his sword and puts the tip to the elderly priest's neck. "Altana is Eternal Love, but not eternal patience young man," Father Ermenegilde says, "If you wish to add the innocent blood of a priest to your crimes and seal your fate among the damned… THEN GO AHEAD AND STRIKE BOY!"

Commander Kent drops his sword and hits his knees with a thud kicking up a small cloud of dust. He is white as a sheet and trembling horribly. The smell of urine wafts through the air. The words of the Shade races through his mind.

Father Ermenegilde stands up and piously straightens his hood and folds his hands into his sleeves, "I'm glad to see you still have the fear of Damnation in you if nothing else. For Hope can only come to those in darkness." Commander Kent goes to speak but can only moan softly. "Well since I see that I've made my point, I think we should leave and give our reports."

As Father Ermenegilde walks past he feels a tug on his robe. He looks down at the kneeling Commander, "Yes child?" Although still staring blankly forward, he dangles the Medal of Altana he stole in his hand. Father Ermenegilde takes it smiling, "Good I'm glad you're returning this. I'd hate to think of what the previous owner would do to you if his spirit was awakened."

He kneels down and shows the dull back of it to his face. Father Ermenegilde then demonstrates pulling the back off showing the dull medal only to be a protective cover. The real back glistens beautifully when it sees the light of day. It is sterling mythril beautifully engraved. He shows it to the spaced out Commander. If his face could grow any more fearful, it does now.

"See the couple I married that I mention earlier was Commodore Gutenberg himself and his lover. And the man you stole this from was one of his two boys." He places the cover back on, "Even as the specter of death wasted away his last years I had never met a more indomitable spirit in all my long life. And he imparted that spirit to everyone he ever touched in life and they to others still."

He stands up. "You should be more careful at the water's edge. The spirits that dwell there, both the living _and_ the dead, are as restless as the waves themselves." He walks away back towards the city gates.

The last lights of dusk come and go and finally there is a familiar knock on Jacob's door. Jacob's speed shocks everyone as he makes it to the door first from across the house. He swings it open and a tired Father Ermenegilde comes in, "Peace be with all that dwell in this place."

Jacob hugs him and starts to cry, "I was so scared when you didn't come back." "I have a surprise for you, Jacob. If you would release me for a moment." Jacob releases him and stands back. Father Ermenegilde pulls the Medal of Altana from his sleeve. Jacob manages to grab it as his knees hit the ground. "Father!" Bluesky and Jason run to him. They carry him bawling into his room, "Momma…Momma you've come home…"

"Oh Father Ermenegilde you have no idea what awful things have happened since you left," Bluesky laments coming back into the room. "What has happened?" he asks concerned. "Some stole the bodies and the rest of Port is blaming us," Viki says. Bluesky kneels at his robes and sobs into them, "They said I came to peoples homes and asked questions about the dead. But I've been here the whole day and no one believes us."

"Everyone claims to have witnessed her but we have been hiding in our house. Even our own relatives who saw and talked to this woman say it was my wife," Jason moans.

Father Ermenegilde looks out the window at the first stars popping out of the blackness, "The spell should have worn by now…" he whispers. "What did you say Father?" Bluesky asks clinging to his robes. "I have spent the afternoon with this mystery woman of yours and her friends blessing the graves and headstones they made for the dead."

Everyone looks up at him surprised. "Jason, please spread word to the other homes and say the body snatchers have buried and marked the dead in their family plots at the poor man's cemetery. Tell them to blame me for the secrecy and that your family had nothing to do with it and that woman in spite all senses to the contrary was not Bluesky. If they have questions about the matter, tell them to come to me. Now go." Jason nods and runs out the door into the streets.

"Father who is this woman?" Bluesky asks. "She and her friends are servants of Altana, beyond that I can't say." "Is she an angel?" Icie asks, "They serve Altana and everyone says she was a pretty as Momma." Father Ermenegilde kneels down and calls her over to him. He hugs her, "Yes, yes she was an angel just like you." He bops the tip of her nose playfully. She giggles.

"All of them are angels," he says standing up, "They saved us all yesterday and have only just now finished their work." Everyone glances at each other, looking for conformation that he means who they think he means.

"Adventures spend their entire lives traveling far and wide never resting in the same location twice," Zelig says. "We may never meet them again, but may they know our thanks to them." "Amen," adds Father Ermenegilde.


	20. Chapter 19: Exodus

**Chapter 19: Exodus**

Dawn is under-lighting the thin wispy clouds of morning. Drogo has fallen asleep leaning against the wall wrapped in only a towel. Viki is washing her unconscious daughter in a wash basin and talking to Bluesky, who is washing the children's clothes. The blanket they were sharing is already hung out to dry.

"I'm sorry Bluesky. You are so proud of your clean home." "It's nothing that's anyone's fault. And besides my son won't admit it but he still wets the bed. I'm usually washing the night's mishaps this early." Bluesky stops what she's doing and sighs, "I'm the one who should be apologizing…" "For what?" "A few days ago I bad mouthed how you're choosing to raise your daughter. You're stronger that I could ever be…dealing with this everyday. I'd go mad."

The men of the house quietly finish dressing for the day's work and tiptoe past the sleeping children. "At least we can get a head start on today's labors. I'm sure today will be another hectic one dealing with the soldiers again," Jacob yawns. Jason walks up and kisses his wife on the cheek, "I love you," he whispers. He and Jacob walk out the door leaving Zelig behind with the women.

He sighs sitting in his chair next to the roaring fireplace, "I always envisioned me returning to sea after the war, but now I'm not even of any use at the dock." Viki wraps her baby in a towel, "Don't worry about a thing. I'll make sure your leg will get well again. You'll be beating chocobos in foot races in no time." He smirks looking up at her.

Major Viki picks up her daughter and lays her out on Jacob's bed and curls up beside her. She pulls the blanket over the two of them. Bluesky tucks Drogo in then checks on her own children. Still sound asleep.

"Has Viki nodded off yet?" Zelig asks. Bluesky peaks in the room, "Yes, it looks like she's asleep." She looks back into the room and sees Zelig pick up a folded piece of leather and open it is his lap. Inside are leather gloves, a few small tools and nails, as some metal bits. He puts the gloves on and using pincers he takes one of the pieces and holds it over the fire.

"What are you doing?" she asks walking over. Bluesky spots a third glove and picks it up, "Isn't this Viki's?" She looks back up and sees him take the softened piece of metal and begin to curve it with his brute strength.

"Isn't that a stem from one of the silver forks?" she gasps. "Yep," he says groaning. It dawns on her what he's doing, "You're making your rings?" "Yep," he says taking the glove from Bluesky and checking the curve he's created. "Why not go through the jewelry and find a ring?"

Zelig shakes his head, "No. You weren't even born yet but Zbigniew crafted his rings himself." "What? But they look so professional," she says shocked. He shakes his head. "No he made them. He melted down one of his metals for the mythril and used a broken chip from the Altana icon he gave Father Ermie." Zelig smiles, "I can never match is skill but the glass bead will hide the flaws at the connection point." "Your using glass for the stone?"

"Yes, Drogo's favorite marble gave me an idea. It has a crack in it that if you hold it to the sun just right it looks like a feather." "Then you found a bead with an image in it?" "No," he says, "I've made one. If I put a hot bead on a carved design it will imprint itself." "That's a good idea," Bluesky leans close to watch, "I never knew you were so inventive."

Zelig shakes his head as he puts the piece back in the fire, "Father was easily bored. On marches he would craft doohickeys and thingamabobs from broken pieces of wood and scrap metal." He smiles, "My boy's the same way. Always looking to his hands to ease his boredom."

He looks up at Bluesky, "Can you keep an eye on Viki? Being psychic, the only way I can surprise her is to work on it is while she's asleep. And try not to think about this during the day for me please." Bluesky glances out the window, "I'd finish up quickly actually. That comet is low in the sky and there's a false dawn on the horizon."

About mid morning there's a knock at the door. Drogo, who chose to stay behind with Star instead of leaving to play with the others, opens the door. "Uncle Michael?"

Bluesky comes into the room. She freezes in terror, "Drogo shut the door!" But it's too late. The man along with several others, including Ninjas, barge into the home. A teenage cousin coming to visit sees this and runs towards her home. "Grandma Josey!" she screams throwing open the door.

Down at the dock, the family along with the Mithras are working either with the boats or helping with repair work. Suddenly work stops at the harbor as Josey runs frantically with her skirt raised high screaming for her relatives. David runs up to her, "What's wrong?" "Armed men have broken into Jacob's home," she pants.

The men grab what ever is handy at the moment and run towards the house. Word spreads quickly and the Mithras grab their weapons and follow. The mob quickly descends on the home, but to their surprise there is laughter emanating from the residence. Michael is the first into the home, and to his amazement he sees an exact replica of himself with Star in his lap. He also looks up shocked. "Wow," the man says, "You really do look like me."

The other men soon follow and the Thieves and Ninjas draw their weapons in kind. The man pushes Star from his lap and stands between them. "All right that's enough. There's no reason for this to get ugly." "Who do you think you are coming to our father's home armed!" Daniel shouts.

The man extends his hand, "I am Cedric Wallace, the seventh. I am the Head Foreman at our family's shipping warehouses." The gesture in not returned. "We know who you are. You're Tenshodo," Jacob says pushing to the forefront through the men. "Those are only vicious rumors meant to discredit our family's good name," Cedric says offended. "The company you keep says otherwise," Michael says.

"If you mean my employees and bodyguards, they may look ruff but they are the best money can buy. May I add that you and your friends look more like a band of rouges than we do." "There's no need for the racket," Viki says leaning against the wall, "They come in peace."

"I take it you're here to discus your ship we rescued during the storm?" Jacob says. Some unrelated men in the mob whisper to each other. Jacob turns to his sons, "Put through the crowd that it is a false alarm but you boys stay close."

Most of the crowd disperses, save the men in the family and the Mithras still sensing danger. Jacob and Cedric sit down across from each other. Cedric starts, "Originally I do confess that the purpose of this visit was intimidation, but circumstances have change now that I know you are connected to the Mithras."

The family turns to Viki. "We are connected only through charity. See, they are the ones who paid for Star's birthday party." "And my offer still stands Major Sayma, once you've discussed it with your women." Cedric turns back to Jacob, "Thank you for rescuing our men. I still can't believe those greenhorns were right about that storm."

"Poseidon holds no favorites. We simply rescued sailors on a stranded ship. Their identities and purpose of their voyage is of no concern or consequence." Jacob stands up, "If there is nothing more to discus than this meeting ends here." Jacob turns to open the door.

"Actually there is something else I'd like to ask you about. The man we interrogated for stealing our linkpearls mentioned something that seemed of nil importance at the time but on latter reflection sparked an old nerve, but there are too many ears here for it to be spoken. May we arrange another meeting in the privacy of tonight?"

Jacob knows what he means and opens the door, "If it cannot be spoken in the light of day than it should never be spoken at all. Please leave at once." The Foreman sighs dejectedly, Jacobs eyes along with the other stares around the room answers his unspoken question. His glance around the room ends at Michael, his almost twin, "I understand…"

He looks at Drogo, "If you ever change you mind young man, come by the warehouses and ask for me. I'll tell the guards to look for you and let you in." He looks up at Viki, "You and your daughter are also welcome once you have come to your decision." He and his men leave the house and make there way back towards the warehouses.

Jacob closes the door. "What did he mean by that?" Daniel asks. "He offered to pay for me and my girls to go back to Windurst," Viki answers, "He said a little Gil will grease the wheels to get us home." "And you Gamesage?" Jacob asks.

"He wants to buy the things he's found at the dump," Bluesky says excitedly. "I'm not selling my stuff!" Drogo yells, "They're my things! You can't make me!" He storms out crying. Bluesky pleads to Zelig, "Look, at least convince him to sell the melted silver! It's of no use to him." "Drogo is a very smart and independent boy. When he makes up his mind, there's no changing it."

"I'll be right back," Viki says. She goes outside. The Mithras gather around, "Major what's going on?" "It's a little complicated, we'll have to discus it later tonight when we have more time. But where's the Galka boy?" "He ran out crying, grabbed his wagon and ran off before we could ask him what was going on inside," a Mithra says. Viki nods, "Thank you, you girls can go back to whatever you were doing before." Some of the women nod and they all obey orders and return to the dock.

"My girls' say that Drogo took off with his wagon. He must have gone to play with the children," she says walking back in the house. She goes unnoticed as Bluesky and Jacob are screaming at each other. "I do not want this family having anything to do with the Tenshodo!" Jacob shouts.

"Then who else are we going to sell Drogo's things to? Even if we are believed about Drogo's dumpster diving, the upper class has prosecuted and even had some put to death for thievery when it comes to salvaging things like these from the refuse," she is jingling a jewelry pouch, "What use is this to us if we can't use it! It's only trash then to us, just like the people who threw this out." Viki puts her hand over her mouth. "Crap I missed one," she thinks, "Do I even have more stuff?"

"I can't believe I'm saying this…" Michael starts, "but Bluesky is right. If we are going to sell any of the more valuable things, we can't turn to an honest dealer. We will be reported and then what will happen?" "They're right little brother," Zelig says struggling to stand with his cane. Jacob just stares at Zelig in disbelief.

He continues, "I don't like this either. But we have no real choice here. We are already under the magnifying glass. What will happen if Grandma Josephine's necklace if found. What will we do then?" Jacob sits back down in his chair and puts his head in his hands.

"I don't know about the rest of that family, but Cedric seemed sympathetic. The look on his face spoke more than any words when you refused his final question. If you are so concerned for your safety, this cousin of yours I'm assuming may be your only access point," Viki interjects.

Jacob looks up at her disgusted, "Then I assume you will take his offer to leave the city?" "I don't know yet. I haven't talked with the girls, but I'm sure some of them will take the offer. But I'm not leaving without Zelig. I need to keep treating his leg. And I'm not separating the kids."

Suddenly there is a loud pounding on the door. "Open up in there!" Before anyone can do anything, the door is kicked in. Hume soldiers pour in to the home and as the family look out the windows they see the house is surrounded. Bluesky quickly shoves the bag down her shirt. "What's the meaning of this!" Daniel shouts. A soldier punches him in the face and throws him into the wall, "We will be the ones asking the questions here!"

"Is the premises secured?" The soldier turns around and salutes, "Yes Corporal!" Commander Kent's sergeant walks in the home. "I know you!" Jacob shouts, "Your where in the room when I was beaten!" "Commander Kent has been relieved of his duties and I have been temporarily promoted pending the finish of the investigation."

"Why have you come?" Jacob glares. "It has come to our attention that you may have given false testimony concerning your voyage. You and your crew are to be taken into custody to be questioned again. Now who is in charge of your fishing operation?"

"That would be me!" Zelig shouts raising his hand. "You? You're a Galka, and by the looks of it a crippled one," says one of the soldiers. "I was just recently injured in the war. Before I was drafted, I have been a part of this company since before young Jacob here," he points at the old man, "had left primer school." He drops his arm and places it on his cane, "I have led this family ever since his parents became unable to work the docks."

"We won't need you," the Corporal says, "You said so yourself you were in the military." "On the contrary…" "Zelig stop this please!" Jacob pleads, "Let them take me." "Silence you!" shouts the Corporal. He turns back to Zelig, "On the contrary what?"

"If you look at my military record, you will read that I was AWOL the day I was injured and was discovered here at the docks preparing for the voyage. I was Private First-Class Zelig, Private First-Class." "Are you confessing an attempt to desert?" "No, I had no intention of deserting. I was simply doing my job at running this company."

"As a soldier, you're job should be to serve your country," the Corporal lectures. He turns to his men, "We are taking this Galka with us. Find a free munitions cart to wheel him in." "Yes sir!"

"Like hell you're taking my fiancé!" Viki shouts. "Did you just say fiancé?" says the soldier standing next to her. "What you jealous?" Viki mocks playfully. "Viki please you're not helping," Bluesky pleads more distraught than ever.

"You Mithra! What is your name?" orders the Corporal. "I am Viki Sayma, former Major of the Copperhead Mercenaries." "Major of the…" he thinks out loud, "I remember now, you're one of the Mithras who has brought all of this misery to Bastok! Why are you still in the city?" "One of the advantages to knowing the President I guess," she brags. The Corporal swallows loudly.

"Corporal look at this!" One of the soldiers comes in holding Drogo's Hume clothes. The Corporal grimaces when he sees them. He waves his arm, "Men search the house, and secure and search all other properties owned by this family!"

"What's going on?" Daniel says wiping the blood from his nose again. The Corporal turn to him, "A Galka boy in Hume clothing was seen near the mines when some tools disappeared. He is suspected of theft." "What!" the men shout. They look at their wives. They in turn look at the ground.

"What is your connection with this boy Private?" the Corporal asks Zelig. "He is my child," he answers proudly. "You seem rather smug for someone in your position?" "We have done nothing wrong. Time will bear us out."

He turns back to ordering his men, "Confiscate anything out of place!" He looks back at the family, "Now I doubt all of you live in such a tiny home! Take us to your houses now!"

The soldiers wreck everything indiscriminately. They even dig up the vegetable garden with their swords and axes. In Josey's, they find the hole in the wall. "No!" she screams. The soldiers drag her out kicking and screaming. In the wall there is a wooden cigar box. When the soldier opens it he finds only money.

The soldiers gather outside Jacob's with the things the found odd. Mostly Drogo's things. The Corporal inspects them. The soldier form Josey's comes up, "We found this box in a hidden compartment in the wall, the lady of the house was very adamant trying to protect it." He hands it to him while the family panics.

The Corporal opens it to find a modest sum of money. "I take it this is your life savings?" he says showing them the box. Everyone is shocked that the jewelry is gone. "Yes, that is were we hide our savings," David manages to say. "Then I will give this back to you since everything is in order with it," he gives David the box. "Josey where did you hide the necklace?" everyone begins to whisper. She starts to cry, "I didn't take it. I don't know what happened to it."

A group of soldiers come back from the dock and salute, "We inspected the boat there was nothing out of the ordinary." The Corporal stands up holding Drogo's crystal lamp, "These are rather fine things for a poor family like yourselves to own."

"They are not theirs. They are mine," Zelig says. "Yours? These are rather expensive items. How does a Galka come across such things?" "If you look more closely you see that everything here is damaged somehow. Like that lamp you're holding has a cracked base." The Corporal turns it over carefully to look and a large amount of oil pours onto his hand from the crack.

Zelig continues, "Do you really think such things are of use to Humes? Why else would a Galka own them." The Corporal puts the lamp down and wipes his hand off, "If these are yours then why are they scattered through all these houses?"

"I may work in Port but my boy and I originally lived in Mines. When we were made homeless, my friends gladly took us in and stored our things where they could." "Were did you buy these things so we may confirm with the store owner?" "If you wish to confirm with anyone, it would have to be with the other scavengers at the dump. My child is always there with his wagon looking for things. And last I checked one must pass by the mines in order to go there."

"You just caught yourself in a lie Galka!" accuses a soldier, "There is no entrance at the mines!" Zelig turns to his accuser, "Yes there is! Whether it is out of mercy or stinginess I do not know but there is a large hole in the fencing there that hasn't been repaired in decades. Everyone in the slums uses it." "We will have to search for the hole to confirm your tale Private." "If I was able I could take you there myself I would. My boy might even be there as we speak with his wagon like he usually is."

"That's impossible," another soldier says, "The Mining District has been completely sealed off!" "And yet you are searching our homes because you saw a child there are you not?" Viki smirks sarcastically. "Please watch your tone Mithra," Josey pleads.

"You!" the Corporal points at one of his men, "Get a message to the men in Mines to look out for a Galka child scavenging in the dump. He is not to be harmed only find out how he is getting to and fro the Mines. That access point must be sealed off immediately!" "Yes sir!" He runs off. "And confirm that hole in the fencing while you're at it!" the Corporal yells after him at second thought.

More soldiers come up the way, "Sergeant!" He comes up out of breath, "My apologies… Corporal" They all salute. "What is your report?" "Sir informants say this family has a secret hideaway and have shown us the location. He says there is usually quite a bit of stuff there." "Good work! Take us there and bring them." The soldiers draw there weapons. "Wait what about the Galka?"

Just then the soldiers he sent for a cart show up looking rather tired. "Ah just in time! Take the Galka and follow us men!" The three just look at each other and sigh. Then when they feel the cart tremble under Zelig's weight, they moan in despair.

They arrive where the family had hidden their goods from the storm, and also the bodies of the dead. There is a small boy waiting for them. He looks not even seven. He runs up waving, "Hi Uncle!"

"Wait you're Billy aren't you?" "Hi Mr. Jason. You know my uncle?" "What is this boy doing here?" asks the Corporal. "Uncle said if I wanted Gobbie Claus to give me a puppy for Starlight, I need to be a really good boy and help him find your cart to carry a hurt person."

He sees Zelig being wheeled up, "Ah you found another one," he starts to cry, "Now I'll never get my puppy." He runs off bawling.

"You bribed your nephew with a puppy? That was evil," Bluesky says. "You better give him that puppy or I'll claw your eyes out!" Viki yells fist in the air.

"You trust the child with accurate information?" the Corporal scolds. "Yes sir! See he plays with their children and has been brought here before."

"Alright then lets see what's under this tarp." The Corporal lifts the tarp and finds their fish cart completely empty jacked up on supports, and with a broken wheel.

Josey buries her face in her husbands shirt, "First the necklace now our cart." Her moans are muffed by his chest. "Is this your cart?" the Corporal asks. "Yes… Yes this is our cart," Jacob says.

Viki wrings her hands as they search, but is relieved when they stop. "Other than some spare ropes there is nothing else here other than the broken cart." "Very well then," the Corporal says. "And you!" he points at the uncle. "Yes sir!"

"That boy _will_ be getting a puppy for Starlight and it _will_ be coming straight out of your paycheck along with all its supplies for the entirety of its life! I _will_ make sure of it!" "…Yes…Yes sir," he mumbles. "What did you say?" he orders. The uncle salutes, "Sir, Yes Sir!" "Good now bring the men."

He turns to the family, "The women may return home! You men come with us!" The three men who had only just arrived now groan in torment at the thought of lugging that hulking Galka back the way they came.

After the soldiers and men are out of sight, Josey collapses. "Gran-Gran! The cart! Altana is surely punishing us!" "Altana is doing no such thing!" Viki scolds.

She walks over to the cart and puts her hand where the missing part of the wheel would be. There is a sound of paper ripping and the part of the wheel that was gone reappears as if it was never missing. She holds up the torn paper, "These patches are children's toys in Windurst. They will make anything invisible for a time, living or otherwise."

She then climbs in the cart and begins feeling around. More sounds of ripping paper resume. "There we go! That's everything." She climbs out and walks over to Josey with the jewelry box. She grabs it gleefully and opens it. She starts to cry, "It's here! Everything's here."

The women surround the cart. All the melted silver and gold are in the cart, along with the stolen tools. The women hug each other and cry. "How long do these invisibility patches last?" a younger cousin asks. "They don't last very long actually," Viki says, "I used trip wires attached to the tarp to set them off like paper bombs. It was simple enough."

"Paper bombs? Those are Ninja tools!" a woman gasps. "Viki don't tell me you are Tenshodo too?" Josey laments. "No, I'm no pirate. But I have friends that I've known since I was a cub who are. And I'm not so morally uptight to not do everything necessary to come back home to my baby. Some of these tricks may seem dirty but I have every intention of being there… when she dies," she puts her face in her hands as she remembers the bridge. She looks up at the sky trying to catch herself, "I should go after them before they remember and come back here looking for me." She runs off sniffling .

Each person is locked in their very own room to be interrogated separately so they do not have the chance to match their stories up. Viki is soon dragged from the Metalworks kicking and screaming when it is realized she knows nothing about the voyage. She is thrown into the street and the door is slammed behind her.

"Let me back in!" she pounds on the door. "My Zelig needs me!" "That won't help woman." Gentle Tiger says pulling her from the door. "If you really care for him then don't do anything to get yourself arrested and wait for him." Viki stares and the ground dejected knowing he's right. She sits down next to the wall and waits.

Soon Gentle Tiger is doing everything to not laugh on duty, "You're a very likeable woman Viki Sayma. I can understand why Zelig is fond of you but that's no excuse for him becoming physical." "Oh we're not physical at all," Viki says looking up.

Gentle Tiger jumps back surprised, "Really? That's not what I've heard at all." Viki shakes her head, "Looks can be deceiving, but we have not done anything and have no intention of doing so." "But you're married or soon to be so?" "As Zelig would say, "True Love is independent of Lust". We just what to be together for the rest of our lives." "But there are other ways to do that without resorting to marriage?"

Viki shakes her head, "Not for the other races back home. He's only putting himself through this for my sake. That and the children. They are completely inseparable," she laughs, "They might as well be siblings already."

"I see." Gentle Tiger sighs, "At least I'm relieved that he still has some moral fiber left in him. He is the last Galka anyone would ever suspect of sinning in that way." Viki smiles, "And please tell that to the others. He misses his friends." He nods, "I will. You know, you are nothing like your reputation."

She jumps up, puts her hands on her hips and glares at him, "What reputation!" He jumps back startled at her sudden and unexpected transformation. She backs him into the wall waging her finger in his face, "Come on you, OUT WITH IT!"

Suddenly the door opens. She runs to see who it is, but it is only a mailman. "What to do… what to do…" he mumbles to himself. He looks up to see a scowling Mithra. "Oh…You're not my Zelig," she mopes.

"A Mithra! Oh thank Altana!" He claps his hands excitedly. "Excuse me miss? I'm looking for a Mithra named Major Viki Sayma of the Copperhead Mercenaries?" "I am she." He looks up and mouths "thank you". He hands her a letter, "This letter just arrived for you. When I heard that the Copperheads had already moved out I didn't know what I was to do. Guess they were wrong on the timing." He adjusts his bag and straightens his hat, "Well the mail must go through. Goodbye." He runs off.

She breaks the seal and opens the letter. She gasps as she begins to read it. She puts her hand over her mouth in disbelief and starts to cry. "What is it?" Gentle Tiger asks. She looks around flustered not knowing wait to do. Finally she turns to Gentle Tiger, "I'm sorry but when my Zelig comes out can you tell him I was here and will be back later?" She disappears around the bend before he can say anything.

Zelig sits alone for a long time in a room wondering why he has not been released after his statement. Suddenly the door opens. He looks up from his sit to see the Corporal himself with a file along with a few other soldiers. "So…" the Corporal begins, "I see you have had a colorful military career Private. Thank you for giving your name and rank so easily."

He puts the file down on a table and sits across from Zelig. "One of your 'nephews'," he frames the word in quotes with his fingers, "Had an interesting story about you being involved with the Tenshodo in some way and you talking them into helping rescue a ship of theirs." Zelig puts his face in his hands and sighs. He knows he's in trouble.

He looks up, "They came to us looking for help." "That is what all your 'relatives' stated but this young man says that you knew these people and vouch for their sincerity." He slams his fists into the table, "How are you involved with the pirates?"

"Early in the war, my life was saved by a group of Adventurers from Windurst. They turned out to be go-betweens for Windurst's government and the Tenshodo. Beyond that I was not told much else nor did I ask." "What was this 'not much else' you were told about?"

"Windurst is collaborating with the Tenshodo on some type of new magic for the war effort. I guess for security reasons the Tenshodo makes any Windurstians involved in this project swear an oath of loyalty. They are good people willing to go to any lengths to protect their home and in extension the Alliance."

Zelig shakes his head, "There is no greed in their eyes, no malice. Just love and desperation, no different than the rest of us. That is what I testified to, to my friends to stop them from being killed at the dock." The Corporal opens his file, "Are you referring to the Galka Gamesage? There was no mention of him being at the dock." "They are all in the same company."

"I see." The Corporal continues, "You file says Gamesage saved your life on multiple occasions yet he is the only suspect in your crippling. Was that an attempt at intimidation to silence your knowledge of the project?"

"Not in the least bit," Zelig says leaning back in his chair, "I don't know by whom or why I was attacked." "Still denying everything I see." The Corporal turns to transcript of the interrogations, "Your co-workers mention how the female pirate not only predicted the storm to the very last detail and also warned of the shooting in Port upon their return. How these Windurstian Adventurers able to do this?"

Zelig is silent for several minutes searching for an answer. "Windurst is under the protection of a wolf god they call Fenrir. It is with his power that the Tarutaru see the future." He glares at Zelig. "If the Taru have such abilities then why haven't they shared this information?" the Corporal says skeptically.

"My understanding is that the purple wolf Fenrir is an uncontrollable beast. Normally only the Star Sybil can approach it without being instantly mauled to death. He tells the future only at his discretion."

"A purple wolf?" he flips back through Zelig's file. "Such a creature was reported on two separate occasions in your file." Zelig nods, "Under normal circumstances, only the Star Sybil can be in his presents and survive, but Heaven grows tied of this war. Warriors have been chosen by the goddesses and gods to end this battle by becoming mortal endowments of their will and power. Gamesage is one such living crystallith of the Divine Might."

The Corporal leans back in his chair not knowing how to respond. "That's a rather tall order to believe," one of the other soldiers says. Zelig turns to face him, "It's the truth. I don't know if there are any Windurstian Tarutaru left in the city, but they could collaborate the story. Just ask about Karaha-Baruha and his connection to Fenrir. He's the most famous of all of them." "We will have to do that before we release you… since you have made such a wild claim," the Corporal says.

The rest of the men are released into the streets. Even without counting heads, Zelig is noticed missing. "Hey wait!" Nathan says tugging on the arm of the soldier who had just thrown him out, "Where's Zelig? What have you done to him!" The soldier tosses Nathan's hand aside, "He is being held for further questioning on his connection to the Tenshodo." The soldier smiles, "From what I've heard, you won't be seeing him any time soon." He laughs. One of the younger cousins, fifteen at best, collapses on the ground and starts to weep.

As the soldiers file back into the Metalworks and leave the family to gather around the youth, the one before the last spots a Taru strutting around proudly showing off his Federation Aketon. It's the little Revenant. "Hey you! Taru! Wait there a moment!" He stops and starts to shiver nervously. "Y…e…s?" he says in his squeaky voice. The soldier runs up. "We have need of a Tarutaru as yourself at the moment. Can you please come with me?" "S…u…r…e?" He follows the soldier into the Metalworks.

The little Taru sits anxiously in another interrogation room. Normally he wouldn't even make the table, but a box has been put on the chair to raise him up. Even then, it is uncomfortable for him to put his arms on the table.

The Corporal comes in, "Well I was worried about finding a Tarutaru at all but to find someone of your status so quickly is a pleasant surprise." "My status sir?" The Corporal sits down, "Yes isn't that a Federation Aketon you're wearing?" "Yes sir it is." "Well aren't you Rank Ten in Windurst? Only the elite of the elite can wear such things."

The Taru jumps back startled almost falling from his seat, "Really! I didn't know, I swear! It was a gift! Honest!" The Corporal motions for the Taru to calm down, "Wait, wait… so your Aketon is just a gift? Then you're not of high rank?" "N…o…si…ir…" he stutters, "I'm only…a …a lowly mage. I…I haven't e…ven learned…m…my first…fire sp…spell yet."

The Corporal sighs frustrated. He tries to think how to salvage the situation. "You said your Aketon was a gift. Is this person of high rank?" "Yes…she's a Vestal Chambermaid." His face lights up at the news, "Then maybe you can help us after all."

The little Taru shakes his head, "She can't help you… not anymore" he starts to sniffle, "see…she fell…and…I just wanted…I just wanted to wear it... cause she gave… it to… me." He wipes his little eyes and nose on his tiny sleeve.

"You have my sympathies, but what I'm looking for from what I've been told is common knowledge in Windurst." "I'm not the smartest Tarutaru, but I'll do my best." "I am looking to collaborate a story, our questionee was rather cryptic in his answer, he said to ask a Taru about the story of Karaha-Baruha and…" "OH! You wanna know about him! He's only the greatest hero in the history of Windurst. I can definitely tell you that story."

"Then we are all ears."

"During the Battle of Windurst, the Great Karaha-Baruha summoned Fenrir to his side and drove back the Yagudo army at the last moment saving all of us." "How did he summon this god of yours? Are not mortals to be summoned by the gods?" the Corporal asks. "Summoning is a very powerful type of magic, but it's insanely dangerous. Especially when dealing with the goddesses and gods, and not just with normal spirits, like elementals."

"Insanely?"

"Yes, summoning binds a person's soul to the being being summoned and turns it into a portal of some kind. You're gambling your life with every spell, and even if you get it right, you're only delaying the inevitable just long enough to get the job done. It sucks the life right out of you."

The soldiers in the room only look at each other, trying to find confirmation in each other that they are not hallucinating. The Corporal leans back in his chair for the second time today, unable to respond. "You separated the gods from the spirits in your statement," he finally says, "Are you aware of the differences?"

The Taru nods, "Yes, the elementals are just simple paper spells like any other, but the gods are very different, the god must chose you as his or her vessel, most those who chase the favor of the gods usually end up dead. Especially with Fenrir, if someone can call Fenrir to their side like Karaha-Baruha, or even the great Sage in our Adventurer company or…" he clings to his Aketon and starts to cry.

The Corporal stands up, "You have our greatest sympathies, shall I inform the President and prepare official condolences?" The little Taru starts to panic and jumps up and stands on the table. "No! Don't please! It's a state's secret matter. I'll get in trouble. Heaven's Tower is very careful about such things. People have been locked in the Dark Dungeon for less."

"What's this 'Dark Dungeon' of yours? You scared of the night little one?" a soldier mocks. He gets a few nervous laughs.

The little Taru starts jumping up and down frantically, screaming in his little squeaky voice, "Don't Laugh!" He points accusingly at the soldier making fun of him, "It's an evil way to die! The walls are enchanted. It's said it can dissolve your very soul. Those who lives are spared and released go mad from the suffering and pain! You can always tell a people who has been tormented in there. There's no mistaking it and no comparing it! AND I DON'T WANT TO JOIN THEM!"

The Corporal stands up, "I promise I won't let that happen. Thank you so much you've been very helpful." He turns to his men, "Escort his young man from the Metalworks, and strike his name from the records."

"I'd must rather you strike this entire conversation," comes a very ticked, deep voice. The poor little Taru screams, jumps down and hides under the chair. The soldiers all draw their swords, "Show yourself Galka!"

A Galka in his blue Summoner's Attire casually drops his buffs dangling his arms from his Pluto's Staff resting across his shoulders like a yoke, "Now I think the Archduke has had enough trouble over the death of one Vestal Chambermaid at the hands of our allies." He twirls the staff effortlessly around his neck, catches it in one hand and places his other hand over his heart, "Now the death of another at such a critical time may break any hope of victory."

The Taru peeks out from his fingers, "What? Wait you're a Vestal Chambermaid too?" "It's a title, there isn't a male version." The soldiers lower their swords and glance at each other not knowing what to do. "Good choice," the Galka says, "Me striking you would be just as troublesome as vice versa. Glad to see Bastok is more reasonable than San d'Oria." He returns his staff to his back and gives the Windurstian salute symbolizing the Great Star Tree of Heaven's Tower, home of the Star Sybil, incarnation of Altana, "May our recent alliance of necessity turn into true friendship between our nations."

"What's your business here?" the Corporal asks nervously. "I only came to fetch my inept friend here." "Ah! Don't throw me in the dungeons please!" he begs. "I'm not here to kill you!" he laughs, "I'm here to take you to Jeuno." "Jeuno? Why what's happened!" he panics.

The Galka roars, "If it was anything bad would I be laughing!" He kneels down and waves him over, "Come on we need to hurry." The little Taru crawls out from under the chair. The Galka goes bug-eyed at the sight of the shirt, "Where did you get that Aketon?" He starts to stutter, "Well…Umm…"

"He stated that it was a gift from a late Vestal Chambermaid," the Corporal bows, "Your nation has our deepest condolences on this sad matter." The Galka glares at the poor Taru, "You got that from my little sis?"

The scent of urine can be felt in the nostrils as the little thing starts trembling uncontrollably. The Galkas face turns to rage, "You break her heart you little chicken I'll shove my staff your ass, roast you with Ifrit and feed you to Fenrir!" His eyes roll back in his head and does a face plant. The soldiers rush to help, but the Galka holds his staff out and stops them. "I got this," he says annoyed.

He picks the unconscious Taru and sniffs. Then he starts shaking his head and snorting, "Oh! Goddess!" He turns to the Corporal, "Where's his gobbie bag?" "Why?" a soldier asks. "Because I bet a man like him probably keeps a spare set of under-roos on him. And I'm not putting a wet Taru in my own gobbie bag."

The soldiers fetch his little pouch. "Ok lets see here, boxer or briefs." His face sours we he finds and pulls out a red Mithran string bikini, at the best scenario for the unconscious Tarutaru. "Calm down Gamesage… there are too many witnesses…" he mutters. "Wait… Did you say your name was Gamesage?" the Corporal asks.

"Yes, why?" he says finishing changing the Taru like a baby. He puts his soiled pants in his little bag with no concern to the other contents, taking care to dirty the "bikini" as much as possible.

"I'm sorry, but your description does not mention your scar." He turns and glares at the Hume, "This is a time of war." "I did not mean to offend my lord," he bows respectively. "Your name has come up in a Tenshodo investigation. Could you maybe answer a few quick questions for us?"

"Who told you I was Tenshodo?" Gamesage turns back to continue glaring at him after dropping the Taru and his pouch into his own gobbie bag. "It was mentioned in an investigation into an incident in Port …"

At the word "Port", Gamesage waves his hands with a fearsome look in his eyes. Everyone in thrown to the ground and struggle to rise only to collapse again. Gamesage stands up, "Don't struggle," he says walking around the room kicking their swords away one by one, "It's a gravity spell."

"I thought you were worried about diplomatic relations?" the Corporal says. He turns him over on his back and puts one of the spikes of his staff under his chin, "Part of the reason I've risen through the ranks to become an aide to the Sybil herself is that I will go to any length to protect those I love… friends, family, country. Now only two people here know what depths I've sunk to to fulfill my oath. And after participating in this long war, they are more precious than ever." He jabs in the tip a little to make his point, "Who do you have and where are they?" "First tell us, why is Windurst working with the pirates?" "Why do you care?" "Because we must confirm this rumor to be able to legally release Zelig."

"Is that why you called in my friend napping in my bag?" "Yes," the Corporal begins to cough and gasp under the spell. Gamesage waves his hand again and releases the spell for the struggling Corporal. He removes the staff from his neck and leans on it nonchalantly.

"Can you breathe better now?" he asks with a hint of concern through the sarcasm. The Corporal leans up on his arm and rubs his neck. He nods. "Good," Gamesage knocks his arm out from under him, "Now listen close because I'm only saying this once." He waves his arm again and the other soldiers stop struggling and rest quietly.

"What did you do to them!"

Gamesage begins to pass around the room encircling him, "Just a sleep spell. There's no need to worry for them. It is a mild one and will last only the few minutes I will need. I've taken the liberty of removing their gravity as well in case they struggle as you were." He smirks, "Because we wouldn't want anyone getting hurt here. Might mess up history."

He waves his arms dramatically, "Now then, the founding legend of Windurst," then he brings his hands close together, "Condensed. Now Windurst is built on the ruins of a great city of some past civilization. The wandering Tarutaru tribes discovered these ruins and took shelter there. The ancestors to today's Tenshodo had a similar mindset to Windurst's founders. Any archeological study of our predecessors must include the Tenshodo for this reason."

"What does this have to do with the war?" he asks after leaning back up. "Because the magic of summoning wasn't our invention. It was discovered by the shovel and the trowel rather recently. We are only babes just learning to read for the first time. And two of the keys to winning Fenrir's favor were discovered in the depths of the ruins at Norg herself. The road to Fenrir's trust must pass through the depths of the underworld. Maybe time will end the need for that, but for now there is no other option."

He trips the Corporal again and places his staff in his face, "Now I want everything I just said to never leave you mind and travel to either your tongue or to your limbs. And I would also like to see your transcripts so they can be edited properly." The Corporal knocks it away, "What if I refuse?" "I wouldn't want things to get ugly. I have the power to cast this whole city into the sea if I wanted to." "You're bluffing. No mortal has that power."

"That's where your wrong my friend," Gamesage starts to brag, "I poses all the standard magics, if you wish to discredit them as such, along with the two new horrors you Humes have created in both Bastok and the Near East. And don't assume that I have let my body lax in exchange for my mind. I have chiseled this body with every technique, every weapon ever known. And as new things become available I have every intention of learning and mastering all of them." He then pulls his white feather from his pocket and twirls it in his fingers, "And to add the icing to the cake I have the power of the gods coursing in my veins."

The Corporal crawls into the wall like his former Commander did in the graveyard, "You're a monster!" Gamesage laughs, "Yes…Yes I am a monster. But a monster for righteousness none the less." He kneels down at the trembling Corporal and bops his nose with his feather smiling and puts it in his face so he can see it well, "Now then he who has yet to witness Altana, may I please see the transcripts?" He stutters, "Wait… what are you saying…about… that feather?"

Gamesage puts it away, "Now I don't know whether you will survive this war or not. Just like with Major Viki and Lord Narcisse, destiny can be rewritten." The demonic look leaves his eyes as his smile radiates his entire face with an otherworldly soothing aura. "But as you write the story your life, always seek the Goddess… and maybe… if you're lucky…she will call you to her as she has called me." He chuckles.

The Corporal studies his face for a long time. Then he smirks in return, "I can't believe I'm saying this…but… I believe you. You may see them and alter them as you wish." They both stand up. "Good I'm glad to see we have an understanding," Gamesage puts his hand on his shoulder.

Zelig has been twiddling his thumbs for quite some time now when he hears the door knob turn. He looks up and sees the Corporal walk in. The soldiers, now awake, are pulling Zelig's cart following him. "Private First-Class Zelig, your statement has been confirmed and you are to be released immediately. We have your wagon and are to be escorted to any location you desire." "That's a relief," Zelig says smiling, "Speaking of which, could you possibly take me to the latrine before you take me home to Port." The Corporal waves for the others to come in. "That is within our power," he says as they help him up.

Gamesage and Zelig are long since gone. The men question the Corporal as he carries the redacted report. "Sir I don't get this, why aren't we reporting the intrusion?" "The intrusion as been noted but we are not to discuss it under any circumstances." "But why?" another asks. "Because that Galka reports to the Star Sybil and to the Star Sybil alone. Part of Private Zelig's and that Tarutaru's statement contained sensitive information, and our records have been altered accordingly." The other soldiers are just glancing at each other. He sighs, "Look…" They turn to watch him. "… There is nothing to understand or ponder about this situation. We all need to simply forget this ever happened and concentrate on winning this war for the glory of Bastok and the Alliance."

Suddenly the folder evaporates into a wisp of smoke. At the same moment everyone stops in their tracks. They glance at each other confused. "What are we doing here again?" one asks. "What were we talking about?" asks another. The Corporal looks at his hands then searches the ground. "Was I carrying something?"

In the shadows, a Ninja lurks. "Good," he thinks, "Atomos has eaten something useful for once." Suddenly the Ninja collapses coughing and hacking uncontrollably. Only his Monomi: Ichi and Tonko: Ni save him as the soldiers walk past. "I hate the doctors," he gasps as he struggles with his bag. He finally fingers his warp scroll and pulls it out.

Back in Port, the poor kid is wiping blood from his nose. Some of the men in the family are holding back his older sister. "How could you! How could you betray Uncle Zelig!" she screams struggling. She tries to spit on him but it falls just short of his shoes. "Oh just let her go Father," Nathan says, "She'll do less damage to him than we can."

"That's enough boy," Jacob scolds looking up from his chair. Afterwards he leans over and returns his face to his hands. An unexpected knock distracts from the argument and everyone turns to the door. "Let me in!"

There is a joyous scrabble to the door and it opens to reveal a smiling Zelig, "I'm Home!" A chair is freed for him but he is unable to sit for all the hugs he is being crushed with. He loses his balance and turns his knee the wrong way instinctively trying to remain upright. He screams bloody murder. Jacob stands up, "Let the man sit down!"

Everyone backs away and Zelig carefully sits down groaning, "Can someone go thank the soldiers who carted me here?" Nathan nods and goes out the door. After a few minutes he comes back in, "Uncle I couldn't find them. I looked everywhere." "Really? You're kidding me. They couldn't have disappeared into thin air, especially with that heavy cart."

"Zelig what happened?" Jacob asks. "It took a little longer than expected, but everything is cleared up about my run-ins with the Tenshodo." "Really? Oh thank Altana!" Bluesky places her hands over her heart. "Even so," Jacob says, "We are still not in a good situation." "Do you mean Josephine's missing necklace and the broken cart?" Zelig asks. Michael leaves for the bedroom.

"It wasn't really broken," Josey says relieved. Zelig turns to look at her, "What do you mean? I saw it with my own eyes." "Viki used an invisibility spell on it to make it look broken. She also hid Gran-Gran's necklace and Drogo's gold and silver the same way," says Bluesky.

"She also hid these," Michael says holding the pickaxe. "…We were going to return those…" Zelig says sheepishly. "How could you do this to us Uncle!" Jason shouts, "You… and these Adventurers… and and this girlfriend of yours have brought nothing but trouble to us. I thought you had better sense than that?" "Speaking of which where is she?" Bluesky asks. "She received some type of letter at the Metalworks and left rather upset. I don't know where she is," Zelig answers.

"Michael," goes Jacob, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I need you to head to the warehouses…" Everyone looks at him shocked. "Father you can't be thinking…" Daniel starts. "I know. I know. But we are running out of options. Whether the war ends in time or not, we need to leave Bastok. And if the war doesn't end soon we will need an armed escort. And sneaking so many people out of Bastok isn't going to be easy." "So many people?" Josey asks.

"Think of the younger children, their girlfriends and boyfriends, the parents of their husbands and wives, their siblings. I knew from the beginning that it wasn't just going to be us. There is going to be an exodus from Bastok. Where we all end up I don't know, Windurst, Mhaura, or one of the other fishing villages, but in any case, we can't stay here."

Jacob stands up. "Go find our cousins in the warehouses," Jacob begins to order, "And the rest of you spread the word through the generations, and tell them to be careful who else they tell."

"There's no need to talk to my relatives," David interrupts. Everyone turns to him. "What is it darling?" Josey asks nervously. He looks at his wife, "The duck you used to keep dry caught the attention of the army. When I went to visit, everyone was in the old factory dusting and preparing the looms for production again." He smiles, "But don't worry angel. We'll be leaving with your relatives. Even after all these years, they haven't forgiven me for falling in love with a woman with no dowry."

Jacob sighs relieved, then turns to Zelig, "I know it hurts to walk but…" "I'll find Viki don't worry," Zelig says standing up slowly. They all watch him hobble out. After he leaves they all glance at each other mournfully. "I think he's walking better," Bluesky says trying to cheer everyone up.

As Michael nears the warehouses, he sees Drogo pulling his wagon filled with more things from the dump. "Drogo what are you doing here?" Drogo stops pulling his wagon and turns to see him walking up. "Hi Uncle Michael. I thought since everyone wants money so bad I'd go find things to sell so I can keep my stuff." "That's very thoughtful of you Drogo and thank you." "Why are you here, Uncle?" Michael looks at the ground and sighs, "Father Jacob has sent me to talk to that man we met." Drogo nods, "Can we go together? … I'm a little scared." "Of course."

The warehouse's private guards spot them walking up. "Cease and state your business," a samurai in street clothes says. "We've come to see your boss Cedric Wallace."

"I said state your business," he puts his hand on his hilt. Drogo drops the handle and pleads, "Please, the man who came to our home earlier said that if I had anything to sell to come here." "That's right, the boss did say that he was expecting a Galka boy," another guard says. The samurai glares at Michael, "That does not explain his presents." "This is my Uncle Michael. He came with me. I am just a little kid." "Uncle?" the samurai glares.

"The boy's guardian works for my family. It's just a child's nick-name," Michael adds hurriedly. "Our orders are to only admit the boy. You cannot enter," the samurai says. "Then tell your boss that his third cousin Michael Gutenberg has newly arrived in port and has come to visit." The other guard jumps back in shock, "Wow, come to think of it, you two do look like twins." The samurai partially draws his sword, "Go relay the message, I'll stay here with this so called 'cousin'." The other guard nods and runs inside.

An eternity of intense minutes follows as the two men glare at each other and poor Drogo hides behind Michael's legs. Finally the other guard comes back with two other men, "This man is legit. They both are to be brought to him immediately." The samurai sheaves his sword and bows, "My apologies, my Lord." Michael tries to sound authoritarian, "You're forgiven." Drogo grabs his wagon and they are escorted inside to his office.

Cedric is waiting behind his desk. "You all may leave now. We will talk alone." His men leave.

"I knew it. I knew we were related." Cedric prostrates himself on the floor, "I don't expect forgiveness for our family's past actions, but please do not hold such hatred towards me. That story has haunted me since I was first told it. If I had been there I would have killed my own ancestor."

Michael sits down in a chair, "I doubt you would say such things if you knew all the circumstances as we do." "I was saved from drowning by a Galka long ago when a storm caught my ship in the shoals at Norg. I have every respect for them."

Michael is startled by the sincerity in his voice. "I see Viki was right in her judgment of you," he says after he recovers. Cedric stands and moves to examine the wagon. "These things are not the same as I saw earlier," he says looking up at Drogo's face. "They are my things. I'm not selling them but everyone wants money so I bought these." "You have a good eye for treasure young man, I'll give you that much. But these things aren't quite as worth as the amount I gave for your other things."

"I know that," Drogo says, "Just because I'm a boy doesn't mean I'm a fool." "My apologies young man. I meant no offence." He stands up from kneeling and pulls over a chair, "Please sit down young man."

Drogo sits down and Cedric scoots the chair towards his desk. "Forgive my child but I can't recall your name. It began with a "D" did it not?" he asks sitting in his chair. "Please sir, I prefer my nick-name Gamesage over Drogo. It sounds nicer."

"Gamesage?" Suddenly Cedric's face lights up with excitement, "You're the little Galka from that chess match aren't you?" Drogo nods. "My men and I skipped work to watch the match. You are an extremely talented young man Gamesage." Drogo blushes a little. "Thank you sir," he says embarrassed.

Cedric turns serious for a moment, "What that man did afterwards was inexcusable. I was lectured severely by my family for betraying a business partner over to the authorities, but there is no justification for killing a child. Our family has lost face and a lot of money since then, but I'm sure time will ease things. Norg has already forgiven us once word reached them of the true circumstances."

Michael can't help but smile now, "I won't say you're a good man because you're Tenshodo, but I will say you're a decent one." Cedric nods, "I'm glad to hear it." He sighs and the mood turns somber, "I've never cared much for this work. When I was younger I wanted to run off and become a bard." He looks up into Michael's eyes, "But then I was told the story of Aunt Josephine as a warning. And it terrified me." "I'm sorry," he returns. Cedric shakes his head, "No more than I am at times."

Cedric sits up straight in his chair and rests his arms on the table, "Now lets get down to business. For you to come here and even give your true name in doing so must mean something has happened since we last met." Michael nods, "Our family and the Mithras need passage from Bastok to Windurst. We were going to wait until the end of the war, but now we cannot wait any longer. We must leave as soon as possible."

Drogo looks up at him, "Wait, we are moving to Windurst? I thought we we're just gonna fish there during the season?" Michael looks over at Drogo, "Yes we are physically moving to Windurst and leaving Bastok forever."

"This isn't about me is it?" Drogo whimpers. Michael puts his hand on his shoulder and rubs his back, "No it isn't. We've been planning this a long time now. I'm sorry if you misunderstood before." Drogo nods smiling slightly.

"How many people are you expecting us to help smuggle out of the city?" Cedric asks. Michael turns back to him, "There are exactly eighteen Mithras, twenty including Viki and Star but they refuse to be separated from Zelig and little Drogo here." Michael removes his hand from Drogo's back and returns it back in his lap.

"The Mithras will be simple enough, since they have touched the Homing Crystal they can be warped there. But the rest of you are another matter. How many others are we going to have to transport somehow?" "With Viki, Star, Zelig and Drogo, it will be at least thirty-four people but maybe much more." Cedric leans back in his chair shocked, "How much more?"

"We don't know yet, we have not yet told our in-laws about this." "That's a very tall request your family has of us." "We're not helpless infants," Michael starts, "We own our own boat, and if others come they have their boats as well. All we need is help out of the city and protection from the Beastmen."

"Even so, just one ship sailing into Windurst at this time would cause a stir. Several would be quite the commotion. It will take time to get things ready there, time it sounds like you don't have." "We are perfectly willing to be left in one of the other fishing villages if Windurst isn't an option." "Even if that town must turn out to be Norg herself?" Cedric quizzes. The enormity of the consequences hits him like a sock to the diaphragm. "…Yes… Yes if that must be the case," he stutters, "We wouldn't be asking this if we were not ready to submit to the consequences."

Cedric smiles, "This is going to be quite the undertaking, like something out of scripture." "Mr. Cedric," Drogo butts in, "If money is an issue, I will sell the things you wanted if it will help pay for everything. I have a savings too. The box is hidden in a coal bin. Everything is still there." "Drogo…" Michael says softly with a smirk.

Cedric studies Drogo, his clothes and hands covered in black soot. He leans back in his chair, "There is no need for payment. We are family after all. Though I can imagine that once this is over with you have plans to cut all ties to us as you had until now?" Michael nods.

"Then I will buy your things young man, but only if you promise to keep the money and use it with this savings of yours to help your family settle in to their new home. These things can have a tendency to turn expensive rather fast." Drogo nods, "Ok, it's a deal then." Drogo extends his hand to shake.

Suddenly there is a ruckus at the door. Cedric's son barges in, "Father what is going on here? What's this about a cousin?" Drogo and Michael turn around in their chairs to look. "Oh my Goddess," he whispers seeing Michael for the first time. "You're supposed to be minding the workers!" Cedric yells standing up.

"There are soldiers here…" He sees what Drogo is wearing, "It's you! You're the boy they are looking for who stole from the mines!" Cedric hits his chair with a thud. "You stole from the mines boy?" Drogo turns around and looks him in the eyes, "No sir I did not."

Cedric puts his elbows on the table and rests his chin on his fists, "You're a skilled liar Gamesage. That look may be able to fool a normal person, but there is a slight wobble in your eyes. You must correct that as you grow older." He stands up and shoves a dresser out of the way. For it to move so effortlessly it must have hidden wheels somewhere.

He pulls up a rug and lifts up a trap door. "Take this. It will take you to safety. I will contact you tonight and we can continue this discussion then." Michael nods and quickly stands up, "Come on Drogo, let's go." "But about my wagon?" "Leave it in the tunnel. I'll return it to you tonight. Trust me," Cedric says, "Now please hurry."

They quickly leave and Cedric makes the room presentable again. "Father what's going on here?" he asks confused. Cedric grips his shoulders hard, "Look son, now this is an order. You are to protect those people and their families at all costs and keep them a secret from everyone, especially the rest of the family." "But why? We have no cousins?"

Cedric glares in his eyes, "Look, our family fortune was forged in intrigue and murder. Yes we do have cousins, but they are descendants of the dead. I want their family's identity to be kept from our more thorough relatives. Do you understand what I am asking?" He nods. Cedric lets go and slumps back in his chair.

"Father I don't understand why you're doing this. You're been acting strangely ever since you can back from San d'Oria. What's wrong with you?" Cedric sighs and stares at the ceiling.

"Son…" he begins, "Our family was rocked by a bloodbath that began with domestic violence murder of an aunt of ours centuries ago. While in San d'Oria two years ago, there was a commotion at the harbor.

A veiled woman and her small son were trying to buy passage out of San d'Oria but no one would take her in spite all the wealth she brought. Money, jewelry, fine silks, only a mad man would turn such bounty down. I gave her passage. I gave them clothes to change into to smuggle them out of the city. But then she unveiled herself.

For her to still be so beautiful yet so mangled and scarred she must have once rivaled Altana herself, her boy wasn't much different. I should have followed my instincts and thrown her things into the lake, but when I refused her payment some of the other smugglers wanted it for themselves. So I left it there and took her and her son for free."

He leans forward and looks at this son, "But it turns out it wasn't mad to refuse them after all. She was a noble woman married to a relative of the Papsque himself.

The Temple Knights butchered anyone they could get their hands on in vengeance. Many innocent people who had nothing to do with anything where framed, tortured, and executed. Not much different than what happened with us all those years ago."

He puts his elbows on the desk and rests his chin on his fists, "And I refuse to allow such a thing to happen a third time. Which it will, if we don't do something to stop it. Do you understand now?" The son, slightly pale, nods in silence. Cedric stands up, "Good now fix your face and let's greet the soldiers." He walks out the door and after a few deep breaths his son follows.

Michael and Drogo make it back to their house. "Are you boys alright?" Jacob asks standing up, "You look like you've had a scare." "Soldiers came after us!" Drogo says panicked, "I had to leave my wagon in the tunnel when we ran away." "A tunnel?" Bluesky asks.

Michael nods, "I ran into Drogo on the way there. He had gone to the dump to find things to sell for us. When the soldiers came we were escorted out through a smuggling tunnel."

"Then I take it things went well since they saved you?" Jacob says sitting back down. "It went more decent than well," Michael says looking at the ground, "He said since we are so short on time we may end up in Norg for awhile while they arrange things for us."

"And you agreed to this?" Daniel says furious. "We don't have much choice in the matter do we?" he snaps back. He turns back to his father, "He said he will take as many as will come, and that he would come by tonight to discuss the details."

"Well at least in Norg I won't have to look over my shoulder every time I yell at you huh Zelig?" Jason gives his son a noogie.

"What? Wait, why did you call Ceddie 'Zelig?'" Drogo asks confused. "Oh, Ceddie is my nick-name, It's from my initials "Zee-Dee" but Momma says not to correct it when people say Ceddie. My real name is Zelig…" "Drogo…" the little Galka interrupts, "You're real name is Zelig Drogo." "You ok? You look sickie." Icie asks.

Drogo looks at the ground. Before the grownups can interrupt, Zeddie blurts out, "Yeah, isn't it funny you and …" Jason puts his hand over his son's mouth, "Alright that's enough!"

"I gonna get some air," Drogo whispers and walks out. Ceddie and Icie try to follow but their parents stop them. Jacob slips out an open window.

He finds Drogo curled up in a quiet corner. "Are you going to be ok, Drogo?" He asks sitting down next to the child. Drogo talks from his knees, "You guys never loved me, you only love me be because I used to be him," he whimpers.

Jacob pulls his knees up mimicking his position, "Gamesage…We all fell in love with you even before Zelig ever introduced you as 'Drogo'. They haven't stopped talking about you all these months since that chess game."

"But they only play with me because they are my namesake." "The kids have no idea about Galkan reincarnation. They just think it's funny that you two both have the same name. They were told the man he was named after is dead and rightly so." Drogo peeks up from his knees. He sniffles.

Jacob continues, "I can never truly understand how your people deal with birth and death. But I do know that the man my grandson is named after is gone forever and," Jacob puts his hand over his eyes. He sniffles, "And unlike my mother I'll never see him again." Jacob leans his head back against the side of the house. He bites his lower lip.

Drogo is now sitting up watching the old man desperately trying not to cry. "But when you asked me how I was you weren't talking to me. You were talking to him."

"…I know," starts Jacob, "And I'm sorry. I won't do it again. But please see the reason why." Jacob can't hold it back and starts to cry as well, "When someone goes to a soothsayer to ask about the peace of a love one, you never know if what you are hearing is true or a trick. But there you were right in front of me. I just needed to know that he was happy Gamesage. That's all it was."

Drogo sniffles, "I knew that the moment you asked. But why are you calling me Gamesage? You and the other adults have never called me that before?" "Because it's not fair to you. Drogo will always be the man who left us twenty years ago, especially to me. You are Gamesage. That is who you are in this life and in the one after this he will have a new nickname that will fit that new life and another name in the one after that."

"Zelig told me that I'm a lot like my past life…" "He shouldn't have said that to you in my opinion, and I gave him flack for it when he told me. There were other ways he could have gotten his point across without burdening you with such thoughts." He smiles at Drogo and puts his left hand on Drogo's knees, "There are similarities, but just like any other biological father and child. But there are some very large differences in how the two of you think."

"Like how?" Drogo asks. "Well do you remember back when you said that if all the children of the world were allowed to play together that there wouldn't be any more wars?" "Yes, Zbigniew said that reminded him of 'the Demon'."

"Well maybe the fact you're a philosopher but not in content. That thought would have never crossed Drogo's mind. He hated the Beastmen. He would have relished this chance for bloodshed. You see the suffering of the Beastmen as well, not just among us. He was blind to that, all of us are.

Since Zelig told me you said that, I've felt so guilty thinking over my life. I was never worried about my coming afterlife 'til now." "You'll be fine Grampy Jacob," Drogo says taking his hand. "Grampy?" Jacob chuckles.

"Is that ok?" Drogo asks concerned. Jacob suddenly hugs him tight, "Yes… Yes I am your Grampy Jacob, and you are my little Gamesage."


	21. Chapter 20: Counting Time

**Chapter 20: Counting Time**

"Beloved Grandmother,

I don't know how to begin to respond to your letter, or how to tell you the great sorrows and the great joys I have encountered on my long journey. As I write this I find myself in the great desert capital of Bastok…"

"What are you writing?" Zelig asks walking up with his cane. Viki is sitting on a bench in Freidrich Battery Circle. He sits down next to her exhausted. "I'm writing a letter in response to one I just received from my Granny Mizar." "It must be rather old by now. But will your letter be returned to your home since your discharge?"

"She's no longer in Gha Naboh. She writes that she has come to Windurst." "Really?" Zelig says surprised. Viki looks lovingly at the letter in her hand, "She sold everything she owned for the money," she starts to cry, "Even her ceremonial dress." She looks up at him, "She said she had a vision of Star as full grown woman. She confessed that when I told her I wasn't coming back that she felt Star's death would bring me home, but now she is certain she will grow old so she has come to us."

"And your other relatives?" "No, only her. She came in secret because she knew she would be stopped because of her age. If you fear my former husband, don't. We were over before the war and he knew it." She looks back down, "In her goodbye letter to my mother she confessed her Altanism. She said she did it to stop my mother and others from coming for her… Granny must be crushed at word of my dishonor."

She looks back up smiling in spite her tears, "She said she's counting the time 'til we are all together again."

Zelig moves his cane to his other hand and puts his arm over her shoulders. "I can't wait to meet her. Is this the reason you left while I was being questioned?" "Yes the letter came while you were there. I just needed to get away so I could think. I thought I'd never she her again… so…"

Zelig pulls her close and takes her hand. "It's ok. But if the letter is going to get there before we do, we may need to pay an Adventure to take it." Viki pulls back to look at him, "What do you mean? I've decided to stay here 'til your family moves after the war?" Zelig shakes his head and lowers his voice, "We're starting preparations to sneak out of the harbor. It won't be tonight obviously but it will be soon." Viki nods, understanding the tone of voice.

Zelig smiles, "Look at you finger." She looks down at her hand and sees a blue stone. She holds it up and examines it, "Is this a piece of the flatware?" Zelig nods, "Yes. It took a lot of practicing to discover how to bend it without destroying the design." "And is this a piece of glass?" He nods again, "Yes."

"There's something inside," she holds it into the light to highlight the contents. "A feather? Two feathers… A line… A dot… An oval?" She gasps and turns to him, "Is this an icon of Altana?" He nods. "Where did you find this bead?" "I carved a blank and made the impression in a bead I warmed in the fire." "Is this why you have been making the fire so early?" He nods and stokes her ear, "You can't very well listen in while you're sleeping can you?" "Oh Zelig!" She hugs him.

The clock chimes the hour once again, and Viki and Zelig are still sitting on the bench in Freidrich Battery Circle laughing. "Now that we don't have to fight anymore, we can all go to Windurst and mend that leg of yours properly." Zelig grimaces. Viki raises her right hand and circles her index finger mockingly in his face, "What? Is the big strong Galka scared of having his leg broken again?" Viki sticks her tongue out and winks.

"I'm starting to see why people are scared of you…"

"Oh that reminds me while your laid up I could use your help with a new invention I've been working on, but when we left Mindartia I haven't been able to work on it because of the rubber rationing." "Rubber?" "Yeah I saw a Taru sit on a stack of rubber sheets when I first came to Windurst. And when he sat on it there was air between the sheets…." Viki gets her evil grin. She puts her face up to Zelig.

Creeped out, and a little frightened, he scoots farther away down the bench. She pulls her legs up and begins to slowly crawl across the bench like a stalking lioness through the savanna grasses. With bloodlust in her eyes she bares her teeth licking the tips of her canines. She pushes Zelig to the end of the bench. Instinctively knowing she has her prey trapped, she arches her back like a pouncing cobra bringing one foot forward. With her body now in the track starting position, Viki glides her head across his neck like a seductive vampire and whispers, "Do you know what happened next?" in his ear.

Viki suddenly glances over his shoulder, "Babies!" she yells at the top of her lungs. Zelig falls backwards off the bench in shock. He rolls over on his stomach to look where she is going as Viki darts over him.

He sees the children coming, including Drogo and Star, carrying ropes from the dock. Drogo and Star break rank with the Hume children and run to meet her. Star leaps into her mother's outstretched arms and Drogo simply stops at her feet smiling.

Zelig picks himself up and sits back on the bench watching. Viki is trying to coax Drogo into something. He shakes his head no, but the other children start pointing and pressuring him into whatever it is. Finally Drogo reluctantly takes her hand. Viki skips a few steps while watching Drogo's feet. She stops then Drogo tries it. All the children start to clap and cheer.

Zelig can't stop laughing as Drogo and Viki skip over holding hands. Most of the other children either also skip or run over to where Zelig is, laughing all the way. As the children set up their ropes, Drogo walks over to Zelig, "Zbigniew, I heard that we're actually all moving to Windurst after the war, not just fishing there during the season. Is that true?"

Zelig nods. "Are you going to be ok with that Drogo?" he asks concerned. "Actually I'm really excited!" Drogo answers clinching his fists eagerly, "I wanna learn magic just like the Tarus have." Zelig feigns surprise at the answer, "Really? How come?" Drogo lowers his arms and has a deer-in-the-headlights look on his face. Then he looks at the ground silently thinking. After a long pause he looks back up. "I don't know," he finally says, "… I just wanna do it."

Zelig smiles remembering what the adult Gamesage told him. He puts his hand on Drogo's shoulder, "That's perfectly fine. And I'm glad you're comfortable with that because Viki and I have been talking and we have something to tell you and Star later tonight." "Really? Is it a surprise?" "Yep. It is a very big surprise," Viki says sitting down next to Zelig on the bench. Zelig only chuckles.

"Gamesage come on! Lets go jump!" Star runs up and grabs his arm. "Ok Bear I'm coming." "'Bear' really? No more little Star?" Viki asks shocked. "Yep I'm Bear now," she holds up her teddy, "See I'm Big Bear and this is Little Bear. Wave "hi" Little Bear!" She wiggles her teddy's arm. She then hugs her teddy tight to her chest, "But you and Zbigniew can still call me Star if you want, but you're the only ones that can do that, understand?" she whispers.

Zelig can't help but smile but Viki starts to sniffle. "Are you ok mommy?" "Bear" asks her mother. "Yes I'm fine sweetie go play now." Drogo nods and takes Bear over to the jumping ropes.

When it is Bear's turn she starts singing a Mithran nursery rhyme while jumping, "One fish, two fish, three fish, four. Throw the net back and catch some more. Five fish, six fish, eight fish, nine. Smoke them all fast cause it's dinner time!"

"You forgot seven sweetie," Viki yells over from her bench. Bearstar stops jumping, the rope gently hits her feet. Viki raises her hands and counts her fingers slowly so the children can see, "One… two… three… four… five… six… seven…" she wiggles her seventh finger, "eight… nine."

"Oh, ok Mommy." She turns to the boy in front of her swinging the rope, "Let's start again!" As the rope starts around again the other children chime in, "One fish, two fish, three fish, four. Throw the net back…"

As they all sing, Icie and her brother run up. "Miss Viki! Miss Viki! Daddy told me to give this to you! It's from the pretty lady with the baby wyvern!" She hands her a sealed letter.

Zelig claps his hands, "That's very good Icie. You said it right." "Does that mean you can talk her into not saying it over and over and over again please?" Ceddie whines. Viki opens the letter. It contains a single phrase:

"11/11/885 Upper Jeuno Hospital. Remember the cheese this time".


End file.
